Ethology past questions

Question 1

Stresses on dairy cows on an intensive farm

Answer 1

• Excess crowding
• Resting cows being trampled without notice
• Long periods standing on concrete
• Problems with high rank cows dominating water holes and feeding stations
• Heifers are bullied, especially if separated and reintroduced
• Stress related disease

Question 2

Stresses related to animals kept in captivity

-Abiotic environmental stressors

Answer 2

• Presence or absence of critical sensory stimuli
• Sound
• Odors
• Light conditions
• Thermal and tactile experiences
• Substrate, effects of thermal stimuli

Question 3

Stresses related to animals kept in captivity

-Confinement specific stressors

Answer 3

• Restricted movement
• Reduced retreat space
• Forced proximity to humans

Question 4

List the five freedoms

Answer 4

1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition.
2. Freedom from discomfort
3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease
4. Freedom to express normal behaviour
5. Freedom from fear and distress

Question 5

Effects of early weaning in piglets

Answer 5

• early weaning is stressful for piglets
• removal from their mother
• sudden change of diet from milk to solid food
• sudden change of environment
• being mixed with piglets from other litters
• aggression for dominance because of mixing

Question 6

Reasons for separation anxiety in dogs

Answer 6

This misbehaviour may be due to boredom, fear of abandonment, lack of attention or loneliness.

Question 7

Ways to stop stereotypic behaviour in horses(Crib-biting)

Answer 7

Preventing is most important, by keeping them in pasture providing them with hay and social contact.
A collar can be used, however this causes skin trauma, increased stress level, and after its taken of they spend more time crib biting.
Instead, risk factors should be removed, environmental enrichment should be provided and behaviour therapy should be given.

Question 8

Water trough for cows

Answer 8

Cows should not have to stick their head between bars to reach the water bowl.

Question 9

Classic conditioning

Answer 9

Presentation of a neutral stimuli along with an effective stimuli, resulting in the animal linking the two.

Question 10

Operant conditioning

Answer 10

Animal changes its behaviour to a situation based on its association with a stimulus.

Question 11

Operant counter conditioning

Answer 11

Underexploited strategy in management of horse behaviour. Basically, putting a horse in an unpleasant whilst giving it treats so the fear-eliciting stimulus does not scare it. Eventually the horse gets used to it.

Question 12

Advantageous of keeping animals in groups(in the wild)

Answer 12

• less likely to be eaten by a predator
• defence of vulnerable young
• detecting danger
• Effective food detection
• Sharing food

Question 13

Reasons for cows to drink dirty water

Answer 13

Mineral deficiency in sulphur/Phosphorus

Question 14

What is ethology

Answer 14

The science of animal behaviour

Question 15

Horse blind spot

Answer 15

Directly in front and directly behind

Question 16

Behaviour of chickens(when keeping them together)

Answer 16

• Stabilize peck order
• Do not revolve birds around groups
• If mixing two groups, take equal amount of each subgroup
• Putting a male among hens reduce the pecking level

Question 17

3 welfare problems

-everyman

Answer 17

• Is the animal living a natural life?
• Is the animal fit and healthy?
• Is the animal happy?

Question 18

3 welfare problems

-scientific

Answer 18

• Is the animal living in an environment consistent with that in which the species has evolved and to which it has adapted.
• Is the animal able to achieve normal growth and function, good health and to sustain fitness in an adult life?
• Is the animal experiencing a state of mental satisfaction, or at least freedom from mental distress?

Question 19

Stereotypic behaviour in horses

-Locomotor stereotypes

Answer 19

• Weaving(4%)

- Box walking(2%)

Question 20

Stereotypic behaviour in horses

-Oral stereotypes

Answer 20

• Wood chewing(18%)

- Crib biting(4%)

Question 21

Tinbergs 4 questions

Answer 21

1. What is the causation of the behaviour?
   - e.g stimuli that stimulates or elicit the behaviour
2. What is the function of the behaviour?
   - e.g how the behaviour adds to the animals reproductive success
3. How does the behaviour develop during ontogeny?
   - the way a behaviour is modified by individual experiences
4. How does the behaviour develop during phylogeny?
   - an evolutionary question, involves the comparison of other animals

Question 22

Mutualistic behaviour

Answer 22

(+/+) the actor and the recipient of the behaviour both benefit

Question 23

Selfish behaviour

Answer 23

(+/-) only the actor benefits, the recipient experience a cost

Question 24

Altruistic behaviour

Answer 24

(-/+) the actor experience a cost, the recipient benefits

Question 25

Where do goats like to lie?

Answer 25

Higher grounds

Question 26

Phases of sleep

Answer 26

REM, nREM

Question 27

What do cows spend most of their time at pasture doing?

Answer 27

Ruminating

Question 28

Hierarchy and bonding between horses

Answer 28

Bond are demonstrated by reciprocal following, mutual grooming and standing together. Always alpha mare and alpha stallion, new members on bottom of the pack.

Question 29

Polyandry

Answer 29

Defined as “the mating of one female with more than one male, while each male only mate with one female”
Exclusive polyandry is very rare and happens in about 1% of animal populations, most being shorebirds, like the sandpiper.

Question 30

Whats does goats prefer to eat?

Answer 30

Goats prefer to eat leaves and shoots from trees and bushes.

Question 31

Does the sow check the straw for piglets before laying down in fear of crushing them?

Answer 31

Yes

Question 32

What can cause aggression in dogs

Answer 32

Anxiety, fear or phobia, lack of structure, lack of exposure to other dogs, territorial behaviour or traumatic experiences

Question 33

Nesting behaviour

Answer 33

1-2 days before parturition sow seeks an isolated site for a nest(dry and protected)

• starts to gather material for bedding(sometimes chews the branches)
• nest is finished 2-4 hours before parturition
• only ungulates that build a nest