Understanding Animal Behavior

Topic # 3037Alyson 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 20-30 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