Ethical Treatment of Livestock Animals, Parental Care, and Hormones

Flashcards covering ethical techniques for handling livestock animals, parental care, and hormones.

Livestock Handling

Hazards during livestock handling are usually caused by fearful animals.

Amygdala

Part of the brain responsible for the detection and response to threats, or ‘fear'.

Point of Balance

Imaginary line at the animal's shoulders.

Point of Balance

To induce the animal to move forward, the handler must be behind this.

Parental Care

Influences survival of the offspring and dependent on mating system.

Reproductive Value

Potential of an individual to leave surviving descendants in the future; influences parental care decisions.

Signal Need Hypothesis

Offspring have evolved to signal/advertise their needs.

Signal of Quality Hypothesis

Signals that advertise an offspring’s quality or merit in order to maximize their chance of being fed by their parents.

Local Competition Hypothesis

When related individuals compete for resources or mates, then one sex is more costly to produce.

Local Enhancement Hypothesis

When one sex provides resources or enhances the mating success of its relatives, then that sex is cheaper to produce.

Facultative Siblicide Hypothesis

Sibling conflicts arise in competition for food and resources.

Reproductive Insurance Hypothesis

Mothers in siblicidal species lay a second egg as insurance against hatching failure.

Mafia Hypothesis

Hosts accept brood parasitic eggs out of fear of retaliation by the brood parasite for destroying its eggs.

Hormones

Chemical messengers that circulate in the bloodstream and bring about change.

Steroid Hormones

Derived from cholesterol and usually activate intracellular receptors.

Protein Hormones

Comprised of amino acids and activate intramembrane receptors.

Nervous System Control

Rapid response (electrical impulses) and effects are short-lasting.

Endocrine System Control

Slower response (via messengers, i.e., hormones) and effects are long-lasting.

Activational Effect

Immediate, temporary effect of a hormone on behavior.

Organizational Effect

Permanent effect on the nervous system during development leading to permanent changes in physiology and behavior.

Stress

Glucocorticoids are produced in response to this.