Lesson 14 - Small Ruminant Behavior

Question 1

Tail hangs down, grazing (eating behavior), head butting (fighting behavior), and young stay with flock (play behavior)

Do these characteristics belong to sheep or goats?

Answer 1

Sheep

Question 2

Tail held up, browser (eating behavior), bucks rear and comes down with head (fighting behavior), and lung jumps and climbs on elevated objects (play behavior)

Do these characteristics belong to sheep or goats?

Answer 2

Goats

Question 3

True or False: Goats are more independent and can easily separate from their group, while sheep are flock oriented and panic if separated

Answer 3

True

Question 4

How are sheep flocks typically grouped?

Answer 4

Ewes, lambs, and immature rams form flocks with up to 20 ewes; rams flocks form with around 6 total in the group

Question 5

How long do sheep spend grazing in a single day?

Answer 5

4 - 14 hours per day (dependent on feed availability, physiology, and pregnancy/lactation)

Question 6

How large is a typical home range for sheep?

Answer 6

50 to >100 acres

Question 7

What is the leadership structure amongst sheep?

Answer 7

Inconsistent and dependent on the situation; sheep exhibit “follower” behavior patterns

Question 8

True or False: Sheep are prey species and are generally fearful, vigilant while eating, and panic when visually isolated from their flock

Answer 8

True

Question 9

How do ewes communicate with lambs?

Answer 9

Low-pitched bleats

Question 10

What occurs when lambs are separated from ewes?

Answer 10

Extreme stress for both (vocalizing, pacing, urinating)

Question 11

What is the significance of olfaction in ewes bonding with their lambs?

Answer 11

Ewes were able to recognize their lamb by vision and hearing within the first few hours

Ewes can identify color and may reject a lamb if it is dyed a different color

Question 12

What is “mismothering” in regards to sheep?

Answer 12

Maternal behavior directed toward a lamb that does not belong to that ewe

Ewes are known to steal lambs from other mothers!

Question 13

What is the normal weaning age for lambs?

Answer 13

6 - 10 months

Question 14

True or False: Sheep have poor spatial cognition and visual senses

Answer 14

False; both are excellent and highly developed in sheep

Question 15

What is the affect of stress in sheep cognitive performance?

Answer 15

Tendency for high stress responses and fear can cause poor performance in situations that escalate their stress

Question 16

What are some risks of improperly moving sheep?

Answer 16

Sheep panic, cannot respond properly, may run into walls

Negative responses intensify when isolated from the group!

Question 17

True or False: Sheep have great memory and are capable of recognizing faces in photos, even without training

Answer 17

True

Question 18

True or False: Sheep can make and execute plans when working towards a goal, and will changes plans to achieve the goal more effectively

Answer 18

True

Question 19

What purposes does sheep farming serve in the US?

Answer 19

Milk, wool, meat, medical research

Question 20

True or False: While goats are more independent than sheep by nature, forced isolation can cause stress

Answer 20

True

Question 21

Roughly how long do goats spend foraging each day? Does this differ for kids?

Answer 21

45% for adult goats, and 60 - 65% for kids

Question 22

What is the significance of horns to a goat? (Think behavior)

Answer 22

Social behavior (agnostic behavior/defense, feeding competition, rank, thrashing vegetation, scratching)

Question 23

What is the most common social dynamic for goat herds?

Answer 23

Small (approx 12 goats), sexually segregated, complex social structure that constantly changes

Question 24

What is the significance of olfaction in goats (in regard to maternal behavior)?

Answer 24

Recognition of their kid via sight and sound (usually within 4 hours of birth)

Question 25

True or False: Kids do not leave the mother goat until it is time to wean

Answer 25

False; intensive mothering only lasts 1 - 3 days, then kid leaves to hide (for up to 6 weeks) but stays close enough to respond when called and to suckle

Question 26

How do goats exhibit aggression towards each other (when in high density)?

Answer 26

• Frontal clashing (rear on hind legs, forceful descent)
• Butting (forceful head to head contact)
• Pushing (slowly pushing head toward another goat)
• Threatening (pawing/rushing forward toward another goat)

Question 27

True or False: Goats exhibit frustration when unable to complete a task or find familiar faces in a group

Answer 27

True

Question 28

True or False: Goats have poor memory and learning skills

Answer 28

False; goats can remember navigational routes for 3 months, remember specific people/herd members, and distinguish shapes/symbols

Question 29

Name some general welfare issues for sheep and goats on farms

Answer 29

• Rough/inappropriate handling
• Poor pain mgmt for painful procedures
• Nutritional abnormalities
• Medical issues and lack of treatment
• Crowded, barren, poorly ventilated housing
• Poor regulation for transport and slaughter

Question 30

How do sheep and goats differ in terms of pain response?

Answer 30

Sheep are very quiet, while goats tend to vocalize (kids often hide)

Question 31

What are common stereotypies in housed/confined sheep?

Answer 31

Repetitive pacing, wool-biting, wool pulling, excessive itching

*rule out parasitic infection or other medical issue

Question 32

True or False: Goats need mental stimulation for optimal welfare and love working on tasks

Answer 32

True