Animal Behavior and Welfare Exam 1

Development Experience and Environment

Novelty and varied sensory input required for normal brain development. Effects of derivation during early devel: long lasting and relatively permanent effects

Individuals Raised in Complex Early Environments with Many Experiences

Cope better

Behavior Always

Depends on both genetic information and environment. Every interaction between and individual and its environment has a potential to modify the individual, including the brain and behavior

Genetics Influences Temperament

Behaviors related to fearfulness and intensity of responses and emotions

Sensitive Period/Socialization Period

Time when a small amount (or lack) of experience has a large effect on later behavior, AKA Socialization Period. influenced by genetics, epigenetics, prenatal experiences, neonatal period

Epigenetics

Changes in gene activity and expression without altering underlying DNA sequence, environment and behavior can influence

Early Life Experiences

Profound, persistent effects on behavioral development

Prenatal

In utero to birth

Neonatal in Dogs

Birth to about 2 weeks of age, altricial species (born underdeveloped state), deaf, blind, limited locomotion. Use tactile and olfactory cues, large amount of sleep. Elimination is not spontaneous and needs to be stimulated by licking from dam

Altricial Species

Animals that are born in underdeveloped state, completely reliant on parental care for survival, feeding ect. Includes dogs and cats

Neonatal in Dogs and Interactions with Dam

Frequent and important interactions, may influence cognition and behavior later in life

Neonatal in Dogs and Reflexs

These reflexes wane as CNS matures. Days 1-3: Flexor dominance (legs flex). Day 3-week 4: Extensor dominance (legs extend when picked up). First 2 weeks: Magnus reflex, Cross extensor reflex, and Rooting reflex.

Magnus Reflex

Turn head, extend limbs on same side, flex limbs opposite

Crossed Extensor Reflex

Pinch hind foot, reflex to withdrawal foot and extend opposite

Rooting Refelex

Pushes face into object and crawls forward

Transitional in Dogs

2nd and 3rd week of life. Eyes and ears open, startle response to auditory stimulation. Urinating and defecating spontaneously (begins leaving area to eliminate). Species identification

Socialization Period in Dogs Weeks 4-5

4-14 weeks of age. Most important period behaviorally. At 5 weeks they can recognize others, interact with others including humans, if not they have fear. Play is frequent, play fighting starts at 5 weeks. Bite inhibition starts at 3.5-4 weeks. If no play at 3-9 weeks old, pathology

Bite Inhibition

Starts at 3.5-4 weeks, when to stop biting or when they have bitten to hard

Socialization Period in Dogs Weeks 7-20

Weaning at week 7, if removed too early it can cause difficulty with other dogs. Fear development at 8 weeks. If isolation or lack of socialization occurs during this period it can cause neophobia (fear of other dogs). 10-20 weeks, learning novel environments, risk, error, learn from it, if not it can cause neophobia, lack plasticity responses, distress, panic

5 Weeks of Age in Puppies

Recognize others, interact with others including humans, play is frequent and play fighting starts

7 Weeks of Age in Puppies

Weaning can start

8 Weeks of Age in Puppies

Fear development

10-20 Weeks of Age in Puppies

Leaning novel environment, risk and errors and learning from them

Translating into Puppy Vet Visits

Good signs, being wiggly, mouthy, playful. Potential problem signs are freezing and puppies who are passive and fearful

Normal Puppy Behaviors

Mouthing until 1 year. Resource guarding is normal for dogs, but not acceptable for many humans, do not remove resource, teach to trade for higher value treat/item. Separation distress and vocalization is normal, council on how to safely help puppies adapt to when owner isn' home

Concerning Puppy Behaviors

Those removed from damn/litter before 6 weeks and those who are bottle fed. If they do not approach new people (usually happening between 5-12 weeks). Puppies who pant, pace, attempt to flee, or snap during vet visit. If they avoid novel, non-social stimuli especially after 4-5 months of age. Avoiding conspecific play. Prolonged vocalization and/or indicators of anxiety like escape and pacing when alone after 3 months of age. Repeatedly urinating/defecating in appropriate size cate if left for appropriate amount of time relative to age

Social Maturity in Dogs

18-36 months, dependent on breed. Most likely to exhibit behavioral health concerns

Prenatal in Cats

Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy is linked to less time mothering and growth deficits in some brain regions. Mothers fed low protein diets during late gestation and through lactation had kitten that were more emotional, vocalized more, lost balance more, poorer social relationship with queen/mother cat

Queen

Mother cat

Neonatal in Cats

Birth to 9 days of life, altricial species, blind and deaf. Eyes open around 6-10 days, some hearing and orientation to auditory stimulation can happen around 5 days. Rely on tactile, olfactory, and warmth. Elimination is not spontaneous and queen initiates nursing and perineal stimulation. Able to right selves around 10 days

Transitional Period in Cats

9-14 days of age. Starts to develop some independence from queen, crawl and walk awkwardly, ears and eyes open, starts to eat solids (teeth erupt)

Socialization Period in Cats

From 2 weeks to 7/9 weeks of age. Important period. Kittens hand raised from 2 weeks tend to be more fearful and aggressive towards conspecifics and humans, poor social skills later. Fearful reaction begins at 6 weeks. Gentle handling by humans recommended at 3-9 weeks for improved socialization to humans. Individuals have own temperament and personality. Hearing is fully developed at 4 weeks. 5-6 weeks, controls elimination on own, digs and covers feces and urine. 6 weeks air righting ability develops. 7 weeks kitten is able to maintain body temperature. Removing kittens before 6 weeks of age is not recommended. Play develops during this period, social play at 4 weeks and peaks at 9-14 weeks. At 9 weeks, play or hunting behavior and hour a day/10% of time. Absence of play in newly adopted young cat is a sign of distress

Roughly 5 Days Old in Cats

Some hearing, orienting to auditory stimulation

Roughly 6-10 Days Old in Cats

Eyes open

Roughly 10 Days Old in Cats

Able to right selves, turn selves over

Kittens Hand Raised from 2 Weeks

More fearful and aggressive towards other cats and humans, poor social skills

4 Weeks of Age in Cats

Hearing fully developed, social play starts

5-6 Weeks of Age in Cats

Controls elimination on own, digs and covers feces and urine

6 Weeks of Age in Cats

Fearful reactions begin

7 Weeks of Age in Cats

Maintain body temperature

9 Weeks of Age in Cats

An hour/day or 10% of time, pounce and chase, sometimes vertical stance

9-14 Weeks of Age in Cats

Social play peaks

Kitten Vet Vistits

Associate early with positives, make carrier staple furniture and safe place

Concerning Kitten Behaviors

Excess hiding, destroy and ingest non-food items (pica)

Social Maturity in Cats

Around 36-48 months (3-4 years)

Neonatal in Horses

Precocial species, foaling occurs early in AM, foals have all senses with in 1 hours, suckling reflex with in first few minute's stands with in first 15-60 minutes, can gallop, groom, play, urinate, flehmen, and graze within 1st day

Precocial Species

Born in advanced state of development, can stand, walk within hours of birth

Socialization/Sensitive Period Horses

Not identified in horses, likely hours after birth. Attachment to mare greatest up to 4 weeks, imprint training and flooding is not good interference with bonding, positive handling of mare is good, training with positive reinforcement, scratching withers is good reward

Social Development Through 1st Year

More independent at 4 months, relationship with other horses, need to be with other horses for socialization

Grazing Development Through 1st Year

Social facilitation, graze when mothers grazing, by 8-9 months, graze as adults 60-70% time they're awake

Weaning Development Through 1st Year for Horses

Natural at 11 months, early/managed 4-6 months (+high concentrates), stress; possible risk factor for abnormal (stereotypies, mouth) behaviors

Foal Snapping

When approaching new adult, showing their just a baby

Juvenile Period and Social Maturity

Colts leave original social group, 2-3 years of age, continues play behavior, colts join bachelor groups of 2-5 year old stallions. Fillies leave at 3-4 years old (sexually mature)

Neonatal Pigs

Precocial species, walk within first fer minutes, visual and can hear. Piglets explore, rooting, chewing within 1st day. Play, social play with littermates at 3-5 days

Suckling in Pigs

Colostrum (first milk filled with antibodies), sow's colostrum production independent of her litter size and overall litter weight

Teat Order in Pigs

Teat sampling starts on day 1. 1st 8 hours is when most if it occurs. By day 3 teat is choses

Natural/Semi-Natural Litter Size in Wild Pigs

6-7 piglets, 8 teats, at least 1 functional teat per piglet

Commercial Litter Size in Pigs

12-14 piglets, 12-14 teats, preweaning mortality 16-20%

Development in Pigs

Explore, root, mouthing, chewing, play is important throughout first few weeks. Failure to play is abnormal. Startle reaction (soft vocalization and freeze) at 4 weeks. Natural weaning at 13-17 weeks gradually. In production systems, wean at 3-5 weeks, early weaning and separation causes agonistic behaviors like fighting and mounting

Weaning

Transitioning from milk to solid foods

Separation/Removing from Mother

Physical and social separation of young from mother

Neonatal in Cows

Precocial species, 5 minutes after birth cow licks calf/bonding, suckle and intake colostrum successfully with in 70-90 minutes in natural setting, begin grazing (if opportunity) first day

Development Period Pre-Weaning in Cows

Young calves spend much time resting, tend to sleep in groups. Social learning, mimic cow. Allogrooming head, ears, and neck. Spend time with other calves. Pasture access improves rumen development

Suckling Natural Settings

Suckle within 70-90 minutes in natural settings, 10-12L per day, no cross suckling

Suckling Commercial Settings

Restrict milk allowance 4-6L per day = hunger, cross sucking, bucket feeding

Cross Suckling

Suckling on other calves and objects

Weaning in Cows

In natural setting, gradual at 7-14 moths, after weaning calves still have affinity towards cow and siblings. Commercial settings, calf is separated from cow shortly after birth and provided milk from bottle or bucket. weaning is done later at 6-8 weeks. Abrupt weaning from milk can cause stress, decrease growth, and increase distress

Goats and Sheep

Both precocial species

Sheep

Lambs are followers of mothers, stay very close, weaning at 4-6 months

Goats

Doe forages and kids hide, weaning between 3-6 months, play is important

Social Behvaior

When 2+ individuals interact, how animals form groups, maintain social status, and communication

Domestication

Mostly quantitative differences in behavior, varied in expression, not qualitative change, elimination, of behaviors

Social Isolation

Learning and cognition impairment, detrimental effects on learning, anxiety, and stress response

Dilution Effect

Protection, safety in numbers

Predator Visual Confusion

Fish synchronous swimming

Protective Sheild

Young in the center surrounded by adults

Collective Detection

Shared vigilance while others forage or eat

Mobbing

Multiple individuals attack predator

Social Learning

Sharing information with others like resource location

Foraging Efficiency/Cooperative Hunting

Predators hunt together

Reproductive Advantages to Living in Social Groups

Less time searching for mate if all together

Raising Young in Social Groups

Cooperative rearing of young

Predation in Social Groups

Increased detection by predators, although individual risk is lower

Infectious Disease in Social Groups

More transmission due to proximity

Resource Competition

If limited can cause fighting and aggression that can lead to injury in social groups

Reproductive Competition

Competing for mates in social groups

Pairing

Bonded affiliative dyad, may serve reproductive and/or non-reproductive function

Female Groupings (Matriarchal)

Multiple females and dependent offspring. Some pigs and cattle

1 Male-Multiple Females

Male defends females or territory. Some horses, lions, and roosters/hens

Multi-Male or Multi-Female

Co-exist with juveniles. Some dogs

Dominace

Relationship between 2 individuals when they interact over a situation or over a resource and the ability of an animal to displace another from that resource. Not a personality trait. It is something that is given in reference to a resource

Relationships

Dominant/dominance and submissive/submission

Behaviors

Assertive/agonistic and deferent or appeasement

Social Hierarchies

Reduce overall aggression and improve stability over time, decrease conflicts over valued resources

Develop Relationship with Conspecifics

To minimize conflict

Deferential Behavior

De-escalation behaviors or "cut off" signals by an individual toward another to diffuse tension and conflict

Consistent Resource Winner

Higher ranking individual determines frequency of deferential behaviors exhibited towards them by others in their social group and determine their ability to respond appropriately in social situations, negotiate

Pro-Social Behaviors

Behaviors performed by an individual that helps another meet its needs

Allogrooming/Allorubbing

Reinforce social bonds, can be with conspecifics and humans

Allogrooming

Reduces parasites and strengthens bond, cats and cows