Socio-ecology and Behaviour

Question 1

What is socio-ecology?

Answer 1

The adaptive significance of the diversity of equus social behaviour within an ecological context

Question 2

When was the horse domesticated?

Answer 2

4000 BC

Question 3

In order for domestication to be successful, animal must be:

Answer 3

• a generalist
• high potential for reproduction and simple courtship patterns
• social animals that understand hierarchies
• relatively non-territorial

Question 4

Prerequisites for domestication include:

Answer 4

• can handle captivity
• don’t want to fight for territory
• adaptive in terms of food source

Question 5

Domesticating the horse restricted the horses freedom to:

Answer 5

• roam
• select their own food
• select shelter
• select mates and social companions
• deal with us and predators

Question 6

What are some natural behaviours of the equus?

Answer 6

• flehmen response to detect hormones
• clear signals of anger/aggression (ear pinning and tail swishing)
• wither biting (mutual calming effect)

Question 7

Home range (km^2)

Answer 7

10-25

Question 8

Group size

Answer 8

7

Question 9

Group dynamics

Answer 9

stable

Question 10

mobility

Answer 10

migratory

Question 11

mating system

Answer 11

harem

Question 12

territorial

Answer 12

no

Question 13

social group

Answer 13

stable harem groups

Question 14

Dispersal

Answer 14

• sub-adult males leave to join bachelor groups

- sub-adult females join new harems

Question 15

What parts of the environment could effect horses ability to obtain food/water?

Answer 15

• hierarchy
• poorly designed farms in wet area
• addition of mechanistic practices
• height, size, structure of horse
• too many horses in small area
• season

Question 16

What make up a horses social behaviour?

Answer 16

Social Organization
- contributes to group stability

Dominance Relationships

• important when training horses = our dominance bond with them
• in the wild, helps control space and avoid conflict

Communication

• visual: body language
• vocal: long distance/deter or make contact
• odor: pheromones

Question 17

What would be considered maintenance behaviour?

Answer 17

1. foraging/grazing
   - 14-18 hours/day
   - best for GI health and mental well being
2. grooming
   - rolling, rubbing, scratching, licking, nibbling
3. sleeping
   - ~2 hours/day recumbent
   - ~5 hours/day standing (stay apparatus)

Question 18

When do dominance relationships occur?

Answer 18

• Linear hierarchy between females and males
• shared inherited dominance between females
• mare-foal = not just about inhibition and encouragement of good nutrition but also a teaching component

–> leadership and herding

Question 19

Internal factors controlling feeding behaviour include

Answer 19

1. metabolic control
2. genetics
3. learned aspects
4. nutritional wisdom

Question 20

Explain metabolic control of feeding behaviour

Answer 20

• long term, between meals and within meal control of feeding
• defence of body weight/condition –> secreted based on total amount of adipose tissue and amount of lean tissue
• temperature regulation
• gut fill (chemo and mechanoreceptors sending signals to the brain)
• digestive hormones (insulin = full & glucagon = hungry)
• blood glucose

Question 21

Explain insulins response to a starch meal

Answer 21

starch digestion –> high glucose –> insulin response –> uptake of glucose by peripheral tissue

Question 22

Explain the reasoning behind genetics and feeding behaviour

Answer 22

• feed intake
• diet choice
• appetitive and consummatory behaviour
• non-productive behaviours

Question 23

Explain the reasoning behind learned aspects and feeding behaviour

Answer 23

Mothers and others in herd:

• diet choice
• foraging techniques
• taste aversion learning
• operation of feeders and feeding systems

Question 24

Explain the reasoning behind nutritional wisdom and feeding behaviour

Answer 24

Homeostatic mechanisms to stimulate consumption of specific essential nutrients (PIKA appetite)

• salt appetite
• aversion to certain plants due to smell/appearance (e.g. high tannin content)
• mineral deficiencies

Question 25

What are some external factors that control feeding behaviours?

Answer 25

Taste/sight/smell of food

• palatability, quality, flavouring agents
• addition of a palatant can override internal cues

Selective grazing
- horses will eat a pasture to the ground while avoiding certain plants

Social

• social facilitation
• social inhibition
• -> feeding areas & social effect
• feed trough space
• # of feeding spaces
• dividers between areas
• individual feeding systems

Question 26

What is appetitive behaviour?

Answer 26

• Foraging is a behavioural pattern that increases the likelihood of finding food (innate; programmed into brain)
• behavioural problems (stereotypes) can be related to feeing

increase foraging opportunities = decrease in behaviour problems

Question 27

What must be considered regarding a feeding management program?

Answer 27

Social ecology, social behaviours and feeding behaviours should be considered when attempting to improve an overall feeding management program

Question 28

What happens when we misinterpret what an animal needs?

Answer 28

• too much DM = increased fermentation = enlarged cecum/colon = hay belly
• unnecessary grain –> crusty neck and fat deposits throughout body
• abnormal behaviours (wood chewing, cribbing)

Question 29

Why is social organization within herds important regarding social behaviour?

Answer 29

contributes to group stability, and determines which individuals are dominant over others

Question 30

True or false: calorie density is a learned aspect affecting feeding behaviours

Answer 30

False - it’s a genetic component

Question 31

increasing foraging opportunities will result in the decrease of ? such as ? and ?

Answer 31

• behaviour problems
• wood chewing
• cribbing