Animal Behavior

What is Behavior? Webster’s Definition Conduct or Action The individual and group actions which take place in animals in order to allow them to live and function in their environment.

Animal Behaviors Environmental Comfort Social Behavior Mating behavior Nest building Post-partum behavior

Environmental Comfort Environment is too cold huddling piling up Environment is too hot cattle & sheep seek shady areas for rest & rumination Pigs seek wet areas Why?

Environmental Comfort Examples of discomfort behavior? Tail biting & ear chewing (swine) feather picking & cannibalism (poultry)

Social Behavior Male animals of all species fight when they meet other unfamiliar males Cows, sows, & mares develop a pecking order, but fight less intensely Ewes seldom fight

Social Behavior - Cows Social order in cow herds are influenced by: Age Size Strength Presence of horns Previous experience

Social Behavior - Pigs Develop a social order at birth Closely confined pigs in pens of greater than 30 head per pen have some difficulty establishing social order

Social Behavior - Poultry Pecking order found in: Feeding Nesting Roosting Low status individuals often: get less feed appear nervous & frightened feed early in the morning & later at dusk while dominant birds roost

Mating Behavior - Threat Displays Bulls Arching of the neck Protrusion of the eyeballs Erection of the hair along the back Pawing the ground Turning of the shoulder toward the threatened individual

Mating Behavior - Threat Displays Stallions Rearing on the hind legs Laying back the ears Rams Vigorous stamping of the forefoot

Nest Building - Sows Three days before labor most of the time is spent sleeping & feeding As labor draws near: Attempt to clean & dry the nesting site Chew long grass or straw to provide bedding Use forelegs to build nest by pawing Resist any human attempt to move her bedding The amount of nesting time varies with the individual

Post-Partum Behavior Mares Following birth mare will lay exhausted for 20-30 minutes Do not eat the afterbirth, but will groom their foals

Post-Partum Behavior Cows Will lick the uterine discharge from herself Will rest for a period of time & then lick the fetal membranes & fluids from her calf Usually will eat the placenta & sometimes any bedding that is contaminated by fetal & placental fluids Have students consider a cow in the wild and why she would show this type of behavior

Post-Partum Behavior Ewes Chews & eats parts of the fetal membranes, but do not consume the entire afterbirth Recognition of both ewe & lamb is very important Often will reject their young if they are taken away immediately after birth & returned later Discuss the management practices of adopting bummer lambs including: - rubbing afterbirth onto bummer lamb - skinning dead lamb and covering the orphan lamb with the hide