Animal Behavior -- Large Animals

Front 1

What determines behavior?

Back 1

-- environment

-- genetics

-- nature AND nurture

Front 2

Why is equine behavior relevant to veterinary medicine?

Back 2

-- safety

-- professionalism and client confidence

-- medical problems

>> cause or effect

Front 3

What is contactual behavior?

Back 3

-- affection

-- protection

Front 4

What is ingestive behavior? What does this comprise for horses?

Back 4

-- grazing animal (18h/day)

-- may see tail chewing, chewing bark

-- animals stuck in stall may be predisposed to injury

Front 5

What is eliminative behavior? What does this mean for horses?

Back 5

-- urination or defecation

-- horses stop to urinate/defecate

-- defecating on the move is a learned behavior

Front 6

Coprophagia behavior?

Back 6

-- parasites/deworming indicated

-- normal for foals to eat mother's poop

Front 7

Sexual behavior: mares in heat?

Back 7

-- may see signs of colic or urine scalding during ovulation (q 21d)

Front 8

Sexual behavior: males?

Back 8

-- geldings can still exhibit sexual behavior

>> learned behavior

>> tease, mount, "have girlfriends"

Front 9

What is epimeletic behavior?

Back 9

-- social grooming: back scratching, fly swishing

-- herd animals >> need friends

Front 10

What is et-epimeletic behavior?

Back 10

-- vocal

-- buddy system

-- food
(horses known when it's feeding time and will call out to you)

Front 11

What is allelomimetic behavior?

Back 11

-- mimicry

-- e.g. wood chewing, hard catches, running

-- horses watch each other!

-- start with the well-behaved horses!

Front 12

What is equine investigative behavior?

Back 12

-- can't resist smelling, listening, touching, tasting

-- overreact to sudden movement/sounds

Front 13

Agonistic behavior of horses?

Back 13

-- aggressive (toward people >> abnormal)

-- submission

-- flight > fight

Front 14

Dominance behavior of horses?

Back 14

-- horses have a pecking order

>> aggression toward new horse is typical

-- stallions/boss mares in charge

-- dependent on age/territory/injury

Front 15

The horse is a _____ species.

Back 15

-- prey

Front 16

Horse vision?

Back 16

-- good distance vision

-- poor depth perception

-- wide range of monocular vision

-- very narrow range of binocular vision

>> only depth perception directly in front

>> blind spot behind horse

Front 17

Equine capacity for intelligence?

Back 17

-- not a problem-solver

-- not much reasoning ability

-- quick learner

-- high capacity for responding to weak stimuli

-- "In general, the horse does not logically decide what is desired, but responds to stimuli or cues"

Front 18

Signs of aggression?

Back 18

-- pinning ears

-- head threat: extension of head and neck

-- bite threat: extension of head with teeth bared

-- kicking (can be playful -- look for other signs)

-- tail swishing and hopping

-- cow kick

Front 19

Stallions display sexual aggression when?

Back 19

-- before or during breeding

Front 20

Mares display sexual aggression when?

Back 20

-- can occur in heat or not in heat

-- usually caused by improper management

Front 21

What is maternal aggression?

Back 21

-- mare aggression toward new foal

>> usually maiden mare

>> pain, fear, lack of experience

-- always catch mare before working with foal

-- protective: mare defends foal ("foal proud")

Front 22

Bad habits that horses develop?

Back 22

-- cribbing

-- wood chewing

-- weaving

-- head shaking

Front 23

What is cribbing? What is its prevalence?

Back 23

-- crib-biting, wind sucking

-- release of endorphins

-- very little air travels down esophagus (burp)

-- prevalence: 5-20% of all horses

Front 24

Causes of cribbing?

Back 24

-- management and handling

-- restrictive confinement without allowing communication (stress and excitement)

-- feeding concentrates post-weaning increases cribbing 4x

-- increased with box stall, non-straw bedding, insufficient roughage

-- could have genetic element

Front 25

Effects of cribbing?

Back 25

-- intermittent colic (gastric ulceration?)

-- assoc. with entrapment of small intestine within epiploic foramen

-- inc. restlessness

>> difficult to maintain BCS

-- significant tooth wear of upper incisors

-- damage to barn/stalls (expensive)

Front 26

Treatment of cribbing?

Back 26

-- dec. concentrates, inc. forages

-- dec. stall time, inc. pasture/turnout time

-- establish routine exercise

-- treat gastric ulcers if needed

-- acupuncture?

-- environment adjustment (noxious agents, padded cribbing boards)

Front 27

Are cribbing collars or electric shock collars recommended by equine behaviorists for treatment of cribbing?

Back 27

-- NO

Front 28

Surgical treatment for cribbing?

Back 28

-- laser-assisted modified Forssel's

-- remove section of ventral br. spinal accessory nerve and section of paired omohyoideus and sternothyroideus mm.

-- 33% fix, 33% prevents worse, 33% no change

Front 29

Wood chewing is not isolated to stalled horses. T/F?

Back 29

-- true

-- but being stalled may aggravate condition

Front 30

When is wood chewing more common?

Back 30

-- nighttime

Front 31

Wood chewing is thought to be?

Back 31

-- an attempt to normalize gut function (fiber)

Front 32

Effects of wood chewing?

Back 32

-- colic

>> impaction (intestinal obstruction)

-- precede cribbing

-- toxic plants, splinters

Front 33

Treatment of wood chewing?

Back 33

-- feed accordingly and improve gut function

-- environmental management

Front 34

What is weaving/pacing?

Back 34

-- stall weaving and box walking

-- 1-9% of horses

-- similarly hereditary influence as cribbing

-- once either a weaver or box walker, much more likely to perform the other

Front 35

Causes of weaving/pacing?

Back 35

-- boredom and frustration

-- restricted contact with visual access to others

-- exercise deprivation

-- highly predictable management routine

-- more common when not using straw bedding

-- initial traumatizing stressful event

>> weaning, begin training, change of ownership/location, drastic dec. in exercise

Front 36

Effects of weaving/pacing?

Back 36

-- often thought to compromise performance or predispose to injury but no supporting data

-- increased restlessness >> difficulty maintaining body weight

-- enhance anxiety and nervous disposition

Front 37

Treatment of weaving/pacing?

Back 37

-- break the routine (management adjustment)

-- install a mirror or see other horses

Front 38

Physical barriers not very effective for treatment of weaving/pacing. T/F?

Back 38

-- true!

Front 39

Trailer problems with horses?

Back 39

-- resistance to loading/unloading

-- physical force will immediately cause a negative assoc. >> leads to more resistance

-- natural defensive behavior
>> don't enter dark cave

Front 40

Causes of trailer problems? Effects?

Back 40

-- fear: previous trauma, claustrophobia

-- natural defensive behavior/self preservation

-- insufficient training

-- poor driving makes balance difficult

>> sudden braking, sharp turns, rapid accel.

-- elevated stress and fear for horses

-- stress for owner

Front 41

Treatment of trailer problems?

Back 41

-- leading must be understood

>> excessive pull evokes counter-pull response

-- developed trust between horse and handler

-- time, patience, consistency

-- consider: appropriate size trailer, brighten interior, begin feeding in trailer (comfort/reward), add bedding/manure from stall, have another horse in trailer

Front 42

For treatment of trailer problems, encourage owners to?

Back 42

-- start early

-- other techniques: constant tapping on rear, lock arms and pull? Need to leave off immediately if horse starts to move.

Front 43

Various training methods for horses?

Back 43

-- imprinting

-- habituation

-- desensitization

-- counter-conditioning

Front 44

What is imprinting?

Back 44

-- acquisition of behavior in many animal spp.

-- animals form strong and lasting attachments during critical period in early life

-- important for normal social development

-- occurs instinctively to mother, food, environment

-- first described by Konrad Lorenz (ducklings)

Front 45

Imprint training of foals: advantages and disadvantages?

Back 45

-- encouraging more contact between horse and human helps strengthen human-animal bond

-- over-handling could be detrimental

>> spoiled or less respectful

-- these foals will still behave like horses

>> manage expectations

Front 46

What is habituation?

Back 46

-- repeated presentation of a stimulus by itself causes a decrease in the response (full stimulus)

Front 47

What is desensitization?

Back 47

-- systemic, gradual introduction to a stimulus (low level stimulus increased gradually)

Front 48

What is counter-conditioning?

Back 48

-- associate a stimulus with a positive reward

Front 49

What is the most important thing to remember about behavior training?

Back 49

-- changing animal behavior takes time and understanding

Front 50

Bovine behavior that has genetic influence?

Back 50

-- genetics

>> color of coat

>> udder conformation

>> natural attitude

-- intermediate traits

>> milk production

>> calf nursing/"milk letdown"

Front 51

Environmental aspects that influence bovine behavior?

Back 51

-- nutritional and her management

-- housing

-- social interaction

Front 52

Behavioral assessment requires?

Back 52

-- practical experience

Front 53

Basic principles of cattle behavior?

Back 53

-- cattle are very social

-- cattle show signs of stress if separated

>> inc. HR, vocalization, defecation

-- cows form groups of adults + calves

-- bulls form separate groups

>> intermittently interact with cow-calf groups

Front 54

What is a flight zone? What is it affected by?

Back 54

-- cow space bubble (before they'll run away)

-- affected by size of animal enclosure, previous contact with people

-- blind spot directly behind them is gray area

Front 55

How do you influence a cow to move forward? Backward?

Back 55

-- forward: enter flight zone behind point of balance (cow's shoulder), move back from cow

-- backward: move in front of point of balance

Front 56

Aggressive behavior of cattle?

Back 56

-- lowering the head, head butting the head or body, head to head pushing

-- bulls vocalize, paw and rub head on ground, posture to look bigger

Front 57

Affectionate behavior of cattle?

Back 57

-- social licking, usually directed at neck region

-- grooming partnerships with specific individuals

Front 58

Failure of maternal behavior results in?

Back 58

-- death of offspring

-- loss of reproductive season

-- profit loss

Front 59

Maternal behavior includes?

Back 59

-- parturient behavior

-- recognition of offspring

Front 60

Parturient behavior includes?

Back 60

-- precalving: preparation of birth place, inc. restlessness, separation from group, swelling of the udder/teat

-- parturition: rupture of amnion (1-4h), expulsion of the fetus (1-2h), expulsion of placenta (6-12h)

Front 61

How do cows recognize their offspring?

Back 61

-- auditory, visual, and olfactory input

-- occurs over short period of time in cattle

-- mothers learn to recognize newborn

-- some cows may eat placenta (ew)

Front 62

Abnormal mothering behavior: offspring stealing?

Back 62

Offspring stealing ("mismothering")

-- observed when lg number of cows give birth at the same time

-- one cow (hasn't calved yet) may steal calf

-- more common in dairy herds

-- related to calving difficulty

Front 63

How to avoid offspring stealing?

Back 63

-- provide enough space for mother to isolate herself with calf

-- consider calving pens

-- cull if frequent occurrence

Front 64

What is fostering?

Back 64

-- ability of cow to accept "alien" offspring

-- best results if done during period of maternal responsiveness

-- give alien offspring characteristics of dam's own offspring (birth fluids, skin grafting)

-- create bonding with time

Front 65

Indications for fostering?

Back 65

-- cow loses calf at birth

-- calf loses mother

-- mother unable to raise both twins

Front 66

Normal calf behavior?

Back 66

-- suckling behavior starts 2-5h after birth

-- suckling is most intense as soon as calf stands

>> occurs most commonly in front teats

-- intensity/ability dec. if difficult delivery

-- vision, olfactory, and vocal senses involved in cow and calf ID

>> cows will groom their calves

Front 67

Abnormal calf/heifer behavior?

Back 67

-- intersucking (sucking on one another)

>> common in young ruminants

>> observed mostly in young animals taken from mothers early and reared artificially

>> suckle ears, umbilicus, udder

>> inc. risk of mastitis

Front 68

Management of intersucking?

Back 68

-- separation of animal

-- application of nose ring

-- culling

Front 69

Female bovine sexual behavior?

Back 69

-- controlled by physiologic (hormones, pheromones) and psychologic processes involving neurological and endocrine systems

Front 70

The period between ovulations is separated into which phases?

Back 70

-- luteal phase: begins at start of ovultation, ends with rapid decline of progesterone and initiation of fast growing follicles (16-18 days)

-- follicular phase: regression of corpora lutea and rapid development of follicles until ovulation (3-5 days)

Front 71

Female bovine behavior assoc. with follicular phase?

Back 71

-- female readiness to copulate

-- release of pheromones

-- includes receptive stage of estrus period

>> standing estrus

Front 72

Additional behavior signs observe prior, during, and after estrus?

Back 72

-- resting chin on other cow

-- licking/sniffing of vulva or urine of other cows

-- bellowing

-- clear vaginal discharge

Front 73

How long does standing estrus last?

Back 73

-- 10-18h

Front 74

Factors affecting estrus behavior?

Back 74

-- environmental temperature and humidity

>> heat stress with temp between 80-90F, with humidity between 50-90%

-- heat stress shortens duration of estrus, reduces intensity of estrus behavior, reduces reproductive efficiency

Front 75

Heat detection rate and pregnancy rates for an Oregon dairy farm were found to decline in the hotter months of the year (April - September). T/F?

Back 75

-- true

Front 76

How can you decrease the impact of heat stress on sexual behavior?

Back 76

-- fans

-- misters

-- shade

Front 77

How does nutrition impact estrus behavior?

Back 77

-- poor nutrition causes delayed postpartum estrus and delayed resumption of cyclicity

Front 78

Average time until first estrus post-calving?

Back 78

-- dairy cows: 12-42 days

-- beef cows: 36-92 days

Front 79

Other factors that affect estrus?

Back 79

-- grouping with other open cows

-- housing, pasture condition

-- slippery floors

-- excessive noise

-- overcrowding

Front 80

How do cystic ovaries present behaviorally?

Back 80

-- anestrus
>> rarely found by breeder

-- nymphomania (comes into heat every 3-5 days)

>> commonly found by breeder

Front 81

Male sexual behavior includes?

Back 81

-- male libido

-- mating competence

-- fertility (semen quality)

>> basis of success of any breeding program

Front 82

How does dominance influence male sexual behavior?

Back 82

-- dominance has greater effect on mating success

-- more pronounced effect in groups with different age bulls

-- older bulls always dominant young bulls

Front 83

Dominance is not related to fertility. T/F?

Back 83

-- true

Front 84

How does social environment influence male sexual behavior?

Back 84

-- enhancement of sexual performance by observation of other bulls engaging in mounting behavior

-- female-female mounting in sexually active groups may function to attract and stimulate males

Front 85

How does health affect male sexual behavior?

Back 85

-- acidosis/lameness

-- pink eye

-- perform breeding soundness exam (BSE) prior to breeding season

Front 86

What is buller-steer syndrome?

Back 86

-- common in feedlots

-- buller-steer will stand for mounting by others

-- does not seem to be associated with rank

-- may be due to boredom

-- approx. 25 of steers in feedlot situation are buller steers

Front 87

What should be done with a buller steer?

Back 87

-- segregated

-- treated for injury/illness

Front 88

Methods to monitor behavior of sick animals?

Back 88

-- challenge assessment (stress, pain, disease?)

-- subjective monitoring: Clinical Illness Scores

>> variation among evaluators

>> requires continuous training

>> improved evaluation if phys info included, e.g. temperature

-- objective monitoring: pedometers, feed intake using RFID, rumen telemetry

Front 89

Locomotion score of 1?

Back 89

-- walks normally with back level

-- long, confident strides

Front 90

Locomotion score of 2?

Back 90

Mildly Lame

-- stands with flat back

-- arches back when walking

-- gait slightly abnormal

Front 91

Locomotion score of 3?

Back 91

Moderately Lame

-- stands and walks with an arched back and short strides with one or more legs

-- slight sinking of dew-claws in limb opposite to the affected limb may be observed

Front 92

Locomotion score of 4?

Back 92

Lame

-- arched back standing and walking

-- favoring one or more limbs but can still bear some weight on them

-- sinking of dew-claws evident in opposite limb

Front 93

Locomotion score of 5?

Back 93

Severely Lame

-- pronounced arching of back

-- reluctant to move

-- almost complete weight transfer off affected limb

Front 94

If rectal temperature is <103F and animal looks okay with normal appetite?

Back 94

-- no tx

-- monitor

Front 95

If rectal temperature is <103F and animal looks sick and isn't eating?

Back 95

-- supportive therapy

-- energy precursors

-- calcium source

-- uterine contractors

Front 96

If rectal temperature is > or = 103F, but animal looks okay and is eating?

Back 96

-- no treatment

-- continue monitoring

-- consider antibiotics?

Front 97

If rectal temperature is > or = 103F, but animal looks sick and is not eating?

Back 97

Supportive therapy
-- energy precursors
-- calcium source
-- uterine contractors

Antibiotics

>> repeat Tx for 3 days

Front 98

Behavior evaluation of sick animals?

Back 98

-- attitude, disposition, and temperament

-- group and individual

-- ability to move, measure gait and posture

-- evaluate appetite, feeding abilities of group

Front 99

Define cow comfort.

Back 99

--state of ease, free of pain and unpleasant conditions

Front 100

Choices in housing and management do not affect the behavior, health, longevity, and performance of cows. T/F?

Back 100

-- FALSE

-- definitely DO affect those things

Front 101

Diseases that can cause discomfort for cows?

Back 101

-- lameness

-- hock and neck injuries

-- mastitis

-- milk fever

-- displaced abomasum

Front 102

Why are comfortable free stalls important?

Back 102

-- cows lie down for 60% of the time

>> ruminating

>> rarely perch or stand idly

Front 103

Idea free stalls should?

Back 103

-- have open forward space for normal rising and lying down motions

-- no hazards to cause injury or pain

-- provides space for all normal resting positions

-- allows cow to stand and lie straight

Front 104

Four normal resting positions of cows?

Back 104

-- long position: cow resting with head extended forward

-- short position: cow resting with head along side, actively sleeping

-- narrow position: cow resting on her sternum with her neck in a slight crook and rear legs close to body

-- wide/lateral position: cow resting on her side with rear legs extended

Front 105

Idle standing is abnormal in cows. T/F?

Back 105

-- TRUE, abnormal behavior

-- due to poor stall conformation

Front 106

What is perching?

Back 106

-- cow standing with front feet in stall and rear feet in alley

-- lack of comfort in those stalls

-- also describes cows lying with part of their body in the stall and part in the alley

Front 107

Diagonal standing and lying are normal cow behaviors. T/F?

Back 107

-- FALSE

-- abnormal behavior

-- corner to corner use of stall

Front 108

Is lying backwards in a stall normal?

Back 108

-- no

-- if you see cow resting with head facing the alley, you know she's avoiding frustrating or painful stall features

Front 109

Normal rising and lying down behaviors?

Back 109

-- continuous and in smooth motion

-- includes forward lunge and retraction, and a bobbing of the head

-- rising begins with front quarters raising slightly, followed by hindquarters

Front 110

Increased defecation indicates?

Back 110

-- stress