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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
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