Goat Behaviour

Question 1

Goat vision

Answer 1

Pano = 320-340
Bino = 20-60
Distinguish yellow, orange, blue, violet, and green from shades of grey

Question 2

Goat smell

Answer 2

Well-developed
New food investigated by sniffing

Question 3

Social organization in feral goats

Answer 3

• large male is dominant, maintains discipline of flock
• old she goat shares foraging expedition leadership (flock queen)
• flock queen survives succession of number of kings
• group size and composition is variable and unstable

Question 4

Indicators of rank in goats

Answer 4

Horn size (can lead to dominance without combat)
Scent urination (male urinates on beard) = indicates rank and physical condition

Question 5

Agonistic encounters in goats

Answer 5

Can be non-contact threats (staring, horn-threat with chin down and horns forward, rush or rear)
or contact encounters (pushing forehead against another goat, butting)

Question 6

During non-breeding periods, males…

Answer 6

Form bachelor herds

Question 7

Family group composition

Answer 7

Dominant male, small # of adult females and their offspring

Question 8

Alarm behaviour in goats

Answer 8

• female stands rigid with ears towards source
• stimulates young to run to female
• female may snort loudly several times to alert others
• group may take flight, move away slowly or return to activities

Question 9

Goat beh when danger approaches

Answer 9

Scatter and face the enemy

Question 10

Milking order in goats

Answer 10

Is consistent
Correlation between entrance order and milk yield (negative reinforcement)

Question 11

Sexual behaviour in males

Answer 11

Test urine of female, performs flehmen
Approaches female with slight crouch, head extended, horns back, ears forward, tail vertical and tongue extended
If receptive, nuzzles her flank, back and ano-genital area with tongue extended

Question 12

Sexual beh in females

Answer 12

Remains still as male approaches or moves away if unreceptive
Signals willingness to mate by standing still with head lowered, moves tail to one side

Question 13

Maternal offspring behaviour after parturition

Answer 13

Licks and grooms kid within minutes
-> cleans them, provided clues for neonate recognition by mother (vocal, visual, smell and gustatory stimuli)

Question 14

Maternal offspring behaviour

Answer 14

Bond is individually specific and female aggressively rejects suckling attempts of alien offspring
Feral goats hide the neonate to prevent predator attack (hiders like cattle, not followers like sheep!!!)