1. Effects of environmental enrichment
on behavior in a domestic goat herd
Stephanie K. Peramas
University of Rhode Island, Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Kingston RI 02881, USA
Introduction
Results and Discussion
Conclusions
 Animal behavior is an important component of animal welfare. A stereotypy, or stereotypic behavior, is abnormal behavior that may indicate poor well-being (Mason, 1991). Unenriched, or barren, environments associated with farmed livestock have long been associated with inducing stereotypic behavior. The addition of precise enrichment to the animals’ environment is a common remedy for stereotypic behavior. One domestic animal that goes unstudied in this field is the domestic goat, used both for meat and dairy production in New England.
With the highest rate of head rolls occurring while in indoor, unenriched conditions, in addition to the repetitive nature of this apparently functionless behavior, this data supports the hypothesis that head rolls are a stereotypic behavior.
While there was lower head rolling rates per minute in enriched indoor conditions, this is piece of enrichment was deemed ineffective at reducing the head rolling behavior. However, no head rolling occurred while goats were on the table.
The addition of more tables or a larger table may reduce head rolling rates in this goat herd by reducing intraspecies aggression and competition for the enrichment.
Although interaction with enrichment did not affect rates of head rolling, the behavior occurred primarily indoors and has repetitive qualities, indicative of stereotypic behavior.
Rate per minute of head rolling from pasture conditions are lower than indoor head rolling rates.
The goal of this study is to objectively examine and quantify if the introduction of environmental enrichment decreases rates of head rolling through video and behavioral analysis of 6 domestic goats in three conditions: unenriched and enriched outdoor pasture, and unenriched and enriched indoor pen.
The vast majority of head rolls occurred indoors from a single doe.
Goats interacting with table enrichment
Methods
Approximately minutes of video data collection were recorded at the two study sites, outdoor pasture and indoor pen, on a healthy goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) herd consisting of 5 does and one buck. An ABAB enrichment schedule was utilized for both pasture and indoor study sites, with A being the baseline/control phase without added enrichment and the B phase using an ‘enriched’ enclosure. A durable, plastic children’s picnic table was selected to be the added enrichment during “B” trials. A total of minutes in control indoor condition, minutes in enriched indoor condition, minutes in control pasture condition, and 197 minutes in enriched pasture condition were recorded.
Head rolls were identified according to the ethogram below using the software BORIS. Continuous recording and behavioral sampling were utilized, so that all occurrences of head rolls and enrichment interaction were recorded.
Head roll: an event where the goat tips head sideways, then back and rotates until head reaches opposite shoulder. The direction (left, right) of the head roll and the posture (standing, lying, climbing) of the goat during the head roll were also recorded.
Enrichment Interaction: A state where the goat is in physical contact with the enrichment. Interaction with enrichment no longer occurs when physical contact is broken.  
82% head rolls were directed left in the climbing position.
Interaction with enrichment did not affect head rolling rates per minute.
20X20 ft Indoor site with table enrichment
NMML Permit 14245
Part of outdoor pasture
White goat climbing, while the brown-faced goat stands on table
Future Research
More domestic goat behavior research will be conducted to gain a better understanding of their range of behaviors and contribute to the gaps in behavioral knowledge about these animals.
This research can aid in nurturing domestic goats and providing a stimulating physical environment, as well as informing on normal or abnormal goat behavior.
Limitations to further head rolling research include the brief duration of the head roll, typically lasting mere seconds. In wild goat populations, access and visibility are barriers for further research.
References
Acknowledgements
1. Claxton, A. M The potential of the human–animal relationship as an environmental enrichment for the welfare of zoo-housed animals. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 133:1–10. doi: /J.APPLANIM
2. Friard, O., and M. Gamba BORIS: a free, versatile open-source event-logging software for video/audio coding and live observations. R. Fitzjohn, editor. Methods Ecol. Evol. 7:1325–1330. doi: / X
3. Mason, G. J Stereotypies and suffering. Behav. Processes. 25:103–115. doi: / (91)90013-P.
Special thanks to Dr. Justin T. Richard for his unyielding attention, support, guidance, and help during the duration of the study.
This work would not be possible without the help of the other videographers who provided film and coding of the goats at Peckham Farm in this study: Shannon Bissell and Joey Golden.
Additional gratitude to the Honors Department, including Carolyn Hames, for the support, opportunity, and funding.