1. The Animal Nervous System
And its Role in Animal Behavior
Unit 7, Lesson 1

2. For years, people have asked the question, “Can animals think?”
A study of the nervous system of agricultural animals leads us to the study of animal behavior.

3. Vertebrates have many similarities . . .
Central Nervous System consisting of brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System consisting of nerves that carry information to and from the rest of the body to the central nervous system.
Did you know? Protein is vital in the development of vertebrate soft tissues, which includes the nervous system.

4. There are some differences . . .
The overall size of brains differ, where some brains are larger than others
There are noticeable structure differences in particular places when comparing brains
In some brains the cerebral cortex is particularly smooth and in some others there is lots of cortical folding

5. What do these differences mean?
As brains have evolved, areas that control senses, instinct and coordination have became predominant.
In a human brain, the area dedicated to thinking (cerebrum) covers up and dominates anything else. It also has folds that increase the surface area.

7. This is a very controversial topic!
So, can animals think?
This is a very controversial topic!
Some believe that we tend to only measure intelligence in terms of human understanding, so we see animals as lesser when they might have some areas that are more developed than ours.
Others believe that animals are acting off a combination of learned responses and instinct.
Others see them as having equal intelligence to humans and fight for their rights.
What do you think?

8. There is no clear answer.
The area of animal intelligence is constantly being studied by hundreds of scientists.
However, the study of animal behavior is essential to the production of agricultural animals. This is the area we will focus on.

9. Ethology
The scientific study of an animal’s behavior in response to its environment.
Knowledge of animal behavior is essential to understanding the whole animal and its ability to adapt to various management systems.
Involves the interaction of inherited abilities and environmental experiences.
Producers who understand patterns of behavior can manage and train animals more effectively.

10. Instinct Reflexes and responses an animal has at birth
At birth, all mammals have instinct to nurse.
After hatching, chicks begin pecking to obtain feed.

11. Habituation Learning to respond without thinking.
Response to a certain stimulus is established as a result of habituation.
Conditioning is learning to respond in a particular way to stimulus as a result of reinforcement when the proper response is made.
Reinforcement usually in the form of a reward.
Trial and error is used until correct response is found.
Example: newborn searches for place to nurse because its hungry and receives reward of milk when proper place is found.

12. Reasoning
The ability to respond correctly to a stimulus the first time that a new situation is presented.

13. Intelligence
The ability to learn to adjust successfully to certain situations.
Short-term memory
Long-term memory

14. Pavlov’s Dogs
Ivan Pavlov worked to unveil the secrets of the digestive system and he also studied what signals triggered related phenomena, such as the secretion of saliva.
When a dog encounters food, saliva starts to pour from the salivary glands located in the back of its oral cavity.
saliva needed in order to make the food easier to swallow
Pavlov became interested in studying reflexes when he saw that the dogs drooled without the proper stimulus.
No food was in sight - their saliva still dribbled.
Every time the dogs were served food, the person who served the food was wearing a lab coat. Therefore, the dogs reacted as if food was on its way whenever they saw a lab coat.

15. Pavlov’s Dogs
Pavlov then tried to figure out how these phenomena were linked. For example, he struck a bell when the dogs were fed. If the bell was sounded in close association with their meal, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with food. After a while, at the mere sound of the bell, they responded by drooling.
This is called conditioning.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904
Visit
And play Pavlov’s Dog Game to illustrate this principle.

17. Extend your thinking: Compare and contrast these brains
Extend your thinking: Compare and contrast these brains. Who do they belong to?