Understanding Animal Behavior Topic # 3037 Alyson Wilson

What is Behavior?

Behavior is... According to Webster... –“ a Conduct or Action” In animals, the individual and group actions that take place in order for them to live and function in their environment Ethology is the study of animal behavior

What is Anthropomorphism?

Anthropomorphism is… Attributing human characteristics to animals –Projecting human emotions onto animals (I.e. “the bull is mad”, “someone made him angry”) –Note: Need to make sure we record is what we observe objectively Interpret results later

Animal Behaviors Nest building (Sows) Mating Behavior Postpartum Behavior Environmental Comfort Social Behavior

Nest Building 3 Days prior to labor, sow spends majority of time eating and sleeping Sow will start nest building as labor gets closer Sow will try to clean and dry an area and will chew long grass/straw to provide bedding

Nest Building Cont... Sow may change nest area more than once Pawing activities occur Sow may resist human intervention regarding nest bedding Time will vary with each sow but all will utilize dry bedding material

Mating Behavior Threat Displays (Males) –Bulls Arching of the neck Protrusion of eyeballs Erection of hair along their back Pawing the ground Turning of the shoulder toward threatened animal

Mating Behavior Cont... Threat Displays Cont… –Stallions Rearing on hind legs Laying back of ears Rams –Rams Vigorous stamping of forefoot Nudging

Mating Behavior Cont... Estrus Behavior –Cows Increased excitability Licking Mounting other females –Ewes Difficult to see unless with a ram If ram present, will seek out his company and stay with him

Mating Behavior Cont... Estrus Behavior Cont... –Sows Pressure on sow’s back causes her to stand Sow becomes restless when enclosed Ears may be laid close to head, turned up and backwards and held stiffly

Postpartum Behavior Mares –Mare will often lie exhausted for minutes –Mares do not eat afterbirth, but will groom foals

Postpartum Behavior Cont... Cows –Cow will lick her own urine discharge –Cow will rest and then clean her calf –Cow will usually eat the placenta

Postpartum Behavior Cont... Ewes and Does –Ewes and Does eat entire afterbirth –Recognition of ewe/lamb and doe/kid is very important –Rejection may occur if young is taken away after birth and returned later

Postpartum Behavior Cont... Ewes and Does Cont… –Critical time period can be as little as 1 hour –Management practices Encouraging an orphaned lamb to be “adopted” –Rubbing afterbirth on orphan –Skinning a dead lamb (of foster ewe)

Postpartum Behavior Cont... Sows –Sows pay little attention to young until last one is born –Sows will eat part or all of afterbirth unless removed –Sow will call litter to suck using short repeated grunts

Postpartum Behavior Cont... Sows Cont… –Sow may emit barking grunts if disturbed by an intruder –Sows rarely lick or groom young –Sows may also crush their young with sudden movements

Environmental Comfort Discomfort Behavior –Feather picking and cannibalism in poultry –Tail Biting and ear chewing in swine Too Cold –Huddle together/pile up

Environmental Comfort Cont... Too Hot –Cattle and sheep seek shady areas –Pigs seek wet areas to lie in

Social Behavior Males fight unfamiliar males Cows, sows, and mares develop a pecking order and fight less intensely Ewes seldom fight

Social Behavior Cont... Social order in cow herds are influenced by –age, size, strength, horns (if any), and experience Once social order is established in cow herd it will remain the same for years Pigs develop a social order at birth

Social Behavior Cont... Closely confined pigs have some difficulty establishing a social order Pecking order in chickens is found in feeding, nesting and roosting –low-status birds get less feed and eat early in the morning and later at dusk