Introduction The behavior represents the interface between an
animal and its environment. Behavioral responses are usually the
most flexible and are a rapid way for the animal to promote
survival.
Slide 3
Ethology is the study of animal behavior in the animal s
natural habitat.
Slide 4
Livestock and poultry producers need to be knowledgeable of
animal behavior patterns so they can more effectively and
efficiently manage and train livestock. Management of animal
behavior can influence the animal s economic production.
Slide 5
Factors Determining Behavior Personality or disposition differs
with each animal. Genetics and environment are two major factors
that determine or influence an animal s disposition.
Slide 6
Genetics and instincts cannot be altered, but producers can do
something about the environmental situation. Modifying the local
environment to cater to particular livestock or poultry needs can
improve animal production.
Slide 7
Many animal behaviors are a result of the interactions between
the genetics with which an animal is born and its environment,
which is influenced by imprinting, photoperiod, and social
grouping.
Slide 8
Simple and complex behaviors include: Instinct, Habituation,
Conditioning, Reasoning, Intelligence, and Imprinting.
Slide 9
Instinct unlearned behaviors that an animal exhibits from time
of birth. Instincts or reflexes seem to be preprogrammed in the
central nervous system to respond to specific stimuli in certain
ways.
Slide 10
At birth, all mammals have the instinct to nurse. A mother has
an instinct to care for her young. Photo by M. Jasek.
Slide 11
Habituation gradual adaptive responses to certain stimuli or to
the environment; getting used to or ignoring certain stimuli.
Slide 12
Conditioning a learned response that is developed when an
animal is rewarded for making the proper response to a stimuli.
Example: Cattle learn to come when called (stimuli) at feeding time
because they are rewarded with feed.
Slide 13
Reasoning the animal s ability to respond correctly to a
stimulus when presented with a new situation.
Slide 14
Intelligence the animal s ability to learn to adjust
successfully to certain situations.
Slide 15
Imprinting early-age learning where young animals bond with
their mothers or parents and learn to associate members of their
own species or even with humans and other species. Photo by Bruce
Fritz courtesy of USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Slide 16
Imprinting is a critical period that varies in length for
different species. Exposing animals to humans during this time
decreases stress on the animals during their future contacts with
people.
Slide 17
Lambs should be first handled by humans two days after birth.
For horses, the first 42 days of life are most important for human
contact.
Slide 18
Extended contact over the first nine months of life is the best
time to accustom cattle to humans.
Slide 19
Types of Behavior Understanding animal behavior helps a
producer analyze the results of animal nutrition, physiology,
breeding, and management.
Slide 20
Comprehending behavior increases the efficiency of labor,
limits handling problems, decreases accidents to humans and other
animals, and increases the well- being and productivity of
livestock.
Slide 21
The following behaviors are the most influential to an animal s
welfare, productivity, and profitability: Sexual, Maternal,
Communication, Social, Feeding, Shelter-seeking, Investigative,
Allelomimetic, and Fear.
Slide 22
Sexual Behavior behavior in animals related to courtship and
mating. Standing heat or estrus is an observable condition that
helps identify cows that are ready for breeding.
Slide 23
Cows that are in heat exhibit symptoms such as allowing
themselves to be mounted by other cattle, trying to mount other
cows, acting nervously, seeking out the bull, allowing chin-resting
on her rump, and raising the tail. Isolated cows in estrus may be
restless, walk the fence, and bawl.
Slide 24
Producers use standing heat to determine appropriate time for
artificial insemination.
Slide 25
The bull is attracted to a particular cow in a herd by viewing
cow-to- cow mounting. Bulls are also attracted to cows by olfactory
cues. Pheromones in vaginal secretions and in urine are detected by
the males through smell.
Slide 26
When a cow reaches full heat, she allows a bull to mount.
Slide 27
Females are receptive for varying lengths of time. Cows are
usually in heat for approximately 16 hours, ewes and nannies for 24
to 36 hours, and mares for 5 to 7 days. Ewes may show silent heat;
that is, they have no outward signs to indicate that they are in
heat.
Slide 28
A boar does not seem to detect a sow that is in heat by smell
or sight. If a boar is introduced to a group of sows, he will chase
any sow, whether she is in heat or not. When courting the female,
the boar will nudge her in the flanks or around the head and then
attempt to mount.
Slide 29
A sow that is in heat will seek out the boar for mating. The
sow may show outward signs of estrus, such as restlessness,
urinating frequently, attempting to mount other sows, and loud
grunting.
Slide 30
Livestock tend to be polygamous; that is, they breed freely
without a particular mate. Poultry do exhibit preferential mating.
Both male and female poultry may refuse to mate with certain
females and males, respectively.
Slide 31
The sex of an animal relates to behavioral patterns. Castration
changes behavior. Non-castrated, or intact, males are more
aggressive in behavior. Castrated males are more docile.
Slide 32
Maternal Behavior livestock mothers exhibit behaviors that
provide care for babies at birth. Photo by Christine Stetter
Slide 33
With cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, the mothers lick their
young to clean them off. This licking stimulates blood circulation
and encourages the young to stand and nurse.
Slide 34
A sow does not lick her young, but does lie down and move her
feet to encourage her young to nurse.
Slide 35
Cows, sows, and mares normally become very aggressive in
protecting their young.
Slide 36
The ewe and lamb, as well as, the cow and calf have
particularly strong attachments.
Slide 37
When beef cows and ewes decrease their milk production, care
giving declines to force the young to search for forage. This
occurs approximately 100-120 days after birth with cows and 60- 75
days after birth with ewes.
Slide 38
Communication Behavior any of the senses can be used for
communication. Smell helps a mother identify her offspring.
Distress calls are used by young when separated from their mothers
and by adults when under stress.
Slide 39
Farms animals respond to calls or whistles used by the producer
when it is feeding time. The animals learn that the sound
(stimulus) relates to being fed (reward).
Slide 40
Social Behavior livestock exhibit social behavior when they are
in physical contact with other animals or when humans are present.
These behaviors can be aggressive or passive.
Slide 41
Interaction with other animals: Male farm animals fight when
they meet other unfamiliar males of the same species, unless they
are castrated.
Slide 42
Females fight less than males, but they generally develop a
social ranking, or pecking order. Social ranks normally exist in
herds of cows, goats, sheep, and horses, as well as, in flocks of
poultry.
Slide 43
Factors affecting social rank include: age, size, strength,
genetic background, and previous experience.
Slide 44
Horned cows usually outrank polled or dehorned cows, especially
when space is limited.
Slide 45
Interactions with humans: An animal s response to human
interaction or handling determines the animal s disposition, which
can range from docile to wild. Disposition is a result of inherited
characteristics, as well as, previous human treatment of the
animal.
Slide 46
Producers should treat animals with care to promote a positive
disposition. Animals with extremely wild disposition should be
culled from the herd.
Slide 47
Animals with wild dispositions are a threat to personal safety,
may damage facilities, and can excite/injure other animals.
Nervous, excitable cattle have lower weight gains and greater
incidence of dark cutters and tough meat than do calmer
cattle.
Slide 48
A person should know an animal s disposition before making
initial contact with the animal.
Slide 49
Behavior during handling and restraint: Knowledge of animal
behavior is important for safety and for decreasing the stress on
both the producer and the animal.
Slide 50
The ease of handling animals depends on the disposition and
size of the animal, previous experience with the animal, and design
of the handling facilities.
Slide 51
Most animals have a flight zone, or personal space. When
another animal or a person moves inside this zone, the animal
normally moves away.
Slide 52
An animal also has a point of balance, which is the shoulder.
An animal moves forward, if a handler stands behind the point of
the shoulder and moves backward, if a handler is in front of the
point of balance.
Slide 53
Cattle have orbital vision (their field of view ranges from 310
to 360), making them sensitive to shadows and abrupt movements.
Cattle also have blind spots directly in front and behind and may
charge or kick, if approached from the front or rear.
Slide 54
Slide 55
Curved chutes with solid sides are appropriate for cattle.
Slide 56
When working with cattle, a producer should eliminate strange
odors and noises (especially high- pitched noises) and refrain from
waving the arms and hands.
Slide 57
Cattle and horses do not like to enter darkened areas. That is
why it is important to open a window or door on a trailer when
loading an animal.
Slide 58
Livestock follow the leader in a single file in a partially
empty chute and they will move forward to fill in a vacant
space.
Slide 59
Feeding Behavior feed preferences and length of grazing and
rumination are behaviors related feeding.
Slide 60
Sheep and goats graze 9 to 11 hours per day, while cattle graze
4 to 9 hours per day. Animals will graze more heavily near a water
source.
Slide 61
Age of animal and weather conditions affect grazing behavior.
Animals usually eat less during extremely hot or cold
temperatures.
Slide 62
Following grazing, ruminants will rest and ruminate (chew cud).
Sheep ruminate 7 to 10 hours per day; cattle ruminate 4 to 9 hours
per day.
Slide 63
Animals develop feed preferences by identifying nutritious
feeds and avoiding toxic materials. This behavior is learned by
young from being around their mothers or other animals. Young
animals will try new feeds.
Slide 64
Shelter-Seeking Behavior animals vary in the behaviors they
exhibit during hot and cold weather. Hogs try to find a wet area
when it is hot.
Slide 65
Sheep and cattle prefer shady areas for rest and rumination
when it is hot and tend to crowd together during cold weather.
Slide 66
Investigative Behavior animals tend to be curious, but
cautious, when approaching humans or investigating strange objects.
Horses, dairy goats, pigs, and cattle tend to be more curious
investigators. Sheep are generally more timid and less
curious.
Slide 67
Allelomimetic Behavior behavior in which animals tend to do the
same thing at the same time. Ruminants normally graze, rest, and
ruminate together at the same time.
Slide 68
Cattle grazing on large range areas tend to gather together at
the watering place at the same time of day. This behavior helps the
producer monitor all the animals at one time, which is especially
useful in detecting females in heat for artificial breeding
systems.
Slide 69
Fear Mechanisms fear is a survival emotion that motivates
animals to flee from danger. Livestock may develop permanent fear
memories. Fear memory problems usually occur in flighty, excitable
horses and cattle.
Slide 70
By making new experiences for animals pleasant, producers can
handle animals in a calm manner at a later time.
Slide 71
Abnormal Behavior Knowledge of normal behavior of livestock
allows an observant producer to detect abnormalities. Abnormal
behavior can be used to identify clues to illness, stress,
inadequate nutrition, and other problems.
Slide 72
Stress and sickness are two of the main causes of inappropriate
or unusual behavior.
Slide 73
Stress is any environmental factor that can cause major changes
in the animal s physiological processes, including: low or high
temperatures; nutritional deficiencies; dust; fatigue;
weaning;
Slide 74
transportation; dehorning; docking; castration; abusive or
excessive handling; social aggression; and overcrowded living
conditions.
Slide 75
When handling livestock, producers can reduce stress by
creating social identification with the animals through routine
physical contact with the animal (stroking, scratching, and
patting) and use of voice or gestures.
Slide 76
Prolonged stress is detrimental to the body s immune system and
reduces resistance to diseases. Identifying sick animals and
isolating them from healthy animals allows the producer to treat
animals in early stages of sickness, when they are more likely to
recover, and prevent more animals from getting sick.
Slide 77
Symptoms of a sick animal include: Loss of appetite;
Restlessness and depression; Ears droop or not in an alert
position; Humped back with a lowered head;
Slide 78
Isolation (stays away from the herd); Coughing, wheezing, or
labored breathing; and Vital signs differ from normal ranges.
Slide 79
Normal Vital Signs of Livestock Producers should know the
normal vital signs of their livestock. Drastic extremes from the
normal ranges are serious threats to an animal s health.
Slide 80
Vital Sign Cattle Chicken Horse Sheep Swine Rectal temp. (F)
Avg. & Range 100.5 100.4-102.8 107.1 105.0-109.4 100.0
99.1-100.8 102.3 100.9-103.8 102.5 101.6-103.6 Avg. respiration
rate per minute 3012-36121916 Avg. heart rate per minute
50275457560 Normal Vital Signs
Slide 81
Body temperature an elevated body temperature can be caused by
infectious diseases, as well as, excitement, exercise, digestion,
rest, and high environmental temperatures. A more serious situation
is a sick animal with a body temperature below the normal
range.
Slide 82
Respiration Rate the respiration rate of an animal varies with
excitement, exertion, and size of the animal. An increased
respiration rate is a concern if it is due to fever, pain,
weakness, infection, or lung ailment.
Slide 83
Pulse (Heart) Rate the size and age of an animal influences
their pulse rate, as does exercise, excitement, digestion, and
elevated body temperature. Younger animals tend to have more rapid
pulse rates. Smaller animals tend to have more rapid pulse
rates.
Slide 84
Summary Knowledge of animal behavior will help producers to be
more efficient in managing livestock enterprises which will be
safer and more productive.
