Stereotypies Flashcards
Normal behaviour
Include any innate or learnt behaviours that serves the function of promoting the health, survival, and reproduction of an animal in a certain environment.
Does frequency indicate a normal behaviour?
No.
Ex. all swine are tail biting, but this does not mean that it is a normal behaviour
Abnormal behaviour
Behaviours that differ in pattern, frequency or context from that shown by other members of a species under similar conditions
Ex. sheep walking in a repetitive pattern (worn down path in enclosure)
Different types of abnormal behaviour
- Stereotypies
- Re-directed behaviours
- Obsessive compulsive disorders
Stereotypies
Repeated series of movements with little variation with no obvious or apparent function.
- prevalence and frequency
- never observed in wild animals
- often an incomplete form of functional behaviour
Formation of stereotypies
Often an incomplete form of a functional behaviour. Stereotypies do not appear, they develop. Usually initiated by hunger or scape attempts. Develop because they are frustrated by not completing another behaviour.
Stereotypies in grazing and omnivorous species compared to predators
Grazing and omnivorous species= tend to develop oral stereotypies
ex. can’t properly graze, conduct chewing stereotypies
Predators= locomotory stereotypies.
ex. bears pacing in cage at zoo
Re-directed behaviours
Normal behaviours (often investigative or foraging behaviours) directed towards the wrong stimulus. Often increased by environment and nutritional environment.
Ex. tail biting in pigs
Ex. feather plucking in poultry
Obsessive Compulsive disorders
Similar to stereotypies, but if you change the environment, these behaviours will continue. They are controlled by different parts of the brain than stereotypies. Develop from something in the brain, not by frustration
Ex. tail chasing
Ex. licking
Ex. Fly biting
Undesirable behaviours
Behaviours that may be normal but are considered undesirable by humans.
Includes both aggressive behaviours and failure to function.
Aggressive behaviour
Animal displaying aggression is a form of undesirable behaviour for humans, but it is not abnormal
Failure to function
A form of undesirable behaviour.
The conditions imposed on domestic animals lead to some inadequacies of function of sexual or parental behaviour
Ex. silent heat, male impotence, neonatal rejection
Causes of abnormal behaviour
- Hunger/restricted feeding behaviour- no access or not enough nutritional need from food, or too nutritional and animal is not needing to spend all its time grazing
- Restrictive and or barren environment
Ex. tail biting in pigs. Not enough enrichment for them to chew on - Genetic predisposition, Dopamine= Brain triggers them to behaviour a certain way. Those that need more dopamine to be satisfied, will probably get frustrated more easily.
- Early/abrupt weaning- Unsatisfaction
- Social isolation- Similar to barren environment
- Exposure to stereotypic peers- Animals will be more likely to copy peer
- Anxiety or inability to escape fearful environment- Stress can result in more frustration
- Unpredictable environment (feeding schedule)- Animal will show more frustrating as they will expect it is not coming
Underlying function of stereotypies
- In barren environment, they may increase sensory input
- May produce a more predictable and familiar input
- Relieve digestive upset. Ex. veal calves performing stereotypies had a lower incidence of stomach ulcers compared to non-stereotypy calves (salivation as a collateral effect)
- Stereotypies have a narcotizing and analgesic effect. Endorphins are released in the brain during some stereotypies
Negative consequences to stereotypies
- Visceral discomfort
- Locomotion injuries
- Teeth erosion
- Skin lacerations
- Injuries to others (ex. tail biting)
