Behavior

Question 1

why are we interested in animal behavior

Answer 1

1. Interest
   2.safety of animals and people
   3.welfare/comfort
   4.maximize productivity
   5.Understanding human behavior

Question 2

Behavior research unit

Answer 2

to determine behavioral and
physiological indicators of
stress and/or well-being in food producing animals and to
develop management
systems that maximize well-
being in farm animals

Question 3

what affects behavior

Answer 3

Genetics
* AKA Instincts!
* Allowed for successful domestication
* Selecting animals for or against a behavior
is an important means of improving
behavior

Environment
* Behavior develops in synchrony with
environment in which animal lives
* Imprinting/learning
* Animal management effects

Question 4

Four major approaches of studying behavior

Answer 4

-Comparative psychology -
Mechanisms controlling behavior
(Learning , sensation, perception
and genetics)
-Sociobiology - Biological basis of
behavior
-Behavioral Ecology - Relationship
between behavior and environment
-Ethology - Behavior of animal in its
natural environment; employs the
development and use of ethograms

Question 5

Areas of study

Answer 5

• Communication
• Social Structure
• Sleep
• Biological Rhythms
  – Circadian clock
• Sexual Behavior
• Maternal Behavior
• Feed and Water Intake

Question 6

Biological Rythms

Answer 6

• Patterns of behavior and activity that occur in cycles
• Sexual cycles and circadian rhythms
• Influenced by factors such photoperiod and nutrition
  which influence endocrine function
• The endocrine system produces hormones that regulate
  biological rhythms
• Circadian rhythms- the 24 hour cycle- affected by
  photoperiod

Question 7

Methods of learning

Answer 7

-Imprinting
-conditioning
-habituation
-operant or instrumental learning

Question 8

Imprinting

Answer 8

Relatively irreversible learning process that occurs
rapidly following hatch or birth

Question 9

Conditoning

Answer 9

Pavlov’s dog

Question 10

Habituation

Answer 10

getting accustomed to a halter/
collar or saddle

Question 11

operant/instrumental learning

Answer 11

• Learning by trial and error
• Learning to use feeder, reward
  punishment type learning (clickers
  in dog)

Question 12

Stereotypic behaviors

Answer 12

coping mechanisms, we cannot completely irradicate these

Question 13

Sterotypic behaviors for:
Cattle-
Horses-
Chickens-
Sheep-
Pigs-
Llamas-
Cats-

Answer 13

-Stall Kicking
-Cribbing, weaving, stall kicking
-feather pecking
-wool chewing
-tail/ear biting
-berserk male syndrome, spitting/aggressive
-clawing, wool sucking