Animal Science- Exam 4

Ethology

The study of animal behavior

Instinct

Reflexes and behavioral patterns, inherently present at birth

Habituation

Lack of response to a repeated stimulus

Conditioning

An animal makes an association between a previously neutral stimulus or behavioral response and a previously significant stimulus

Before conditioning

Food=salvation or whistle=no salvation

During conditioning

Whistle+food=salvation

After conditioning

Whistle=salvation

Trial and behavior

Attempting to nurse in an instinct; sucking anything while looking for the teat, eventually rewarded

Reasoning

The ability to respond correctly to a stimulus the first time a new situation is presented

Intelligence

The ability to learn to adjust successfully to certain situations (involves memory)

Imprinting

Young bond to their caregiver]

What are the several major systems of behavior?

Sexual, Caregiving, Care-soliciting, Agnostic, Ingestive, Eliminative, Shelter-seeking, Investigative, and Allelomimetic

Cows exhibit what and all what?

Standing estrus; Other cows to mount them

T or F: Vasectomized rams can identify estrus in ewe

True

Pheromones

Chemical substance that can attract opposite sex

Flehmen

When male lifts its head and curls its upper lip

What do animals rely on for estrus

Visual detection and olfactory

What animal does not lick their young?

Sows

When born…

Mothers lick offspring to stimulate blood flow and encourage them to stand and nurse

Milk production is affected by what?

The days after parturition and amount of suckling 

If female are fed in _____, the more they will calve in the daylight

The late evening

When do young animals cry for help?

When disturbed, distressed, or hungry

Dams do what to recognize their young’s cry?

Listen for the sound or smell of them

T or F: The dam must recognize the offspring before she will allow it to nurse

True

Agonistic behavior

Fight or flight, aggressive or passive; can be with other animals or humans

What kind of males are known for fighting with other males?

Uncastrated

Cows, sows, and mares develop what?

Pecking orders

T or F: Animals that AREN”T raised in groups tend to do better in groups

False

What ranks are established in a group of cows?

Status and social

Producers can evaluate what?

Dispostion or temperament

How should animals be handles in most production settings?

On occasion or often

Flight zone

When someone is in the animals space, they will react; depend on the temperament

What can cause animals to react with agonistic behavior?

Shadows, sounds, odors, and movement

Ingestive behavior

Ruminants regurgitate, chew their cud, reswallow (ruminate)

How far does cattle and sheep travel away from water?

3 or 8 miles

T or F: Weather can affect grazing

True

Eliminative behavior

Fecal and urine deposition. Cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens void indiscriminately

Hogs defecate where in a pen or pasture

In specific areas

Horses avoid what on other horses piles?

Defecate

How does cattle, sheep, goats, and swine defecate?

Standing or walking

Shrink

Weight loss during transit (3%), much during first hour

Shelter-seeking behavior

Ruminant seek shady areas for rest and rumination during warm temperatures

Pigs seek what when hot?

Wet areas

Investigative behavior

Animals are curious and what to try new things; can be intriguing or threatening

Allelomimetic behavior

Animals tend to do the same things at the same time

Communication

Some type of information is exchanged between individuals by transfer of odor, respond to call, sight, etc

Cannilbalistic behavior

In swine and poultry; tail docking

Buller-steer syndrome

Steers castrated before puberty are more sexually active and mount other males. Can lead to lower gains, usually separated

Issues facing animal agriculture

Sustainability and natural resources, food safety, animal well being, diet-health issues, and production technologies

Challenge- Increase food production

Precision irrigation systems, new plant breeding technologies, and reduce food loss

Challenge- Enhancing housing systems for livestock and poultry

Improved nutritional management, genetic selection, and health management

Sustainability

Method of harvesting or using. resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged 

Opportunites for improving sustainability

Food waste in developing nations and food waste in developed nations

Food waste in developing nations

Food chain issues, poor harvest, storage, transportation, and processing infrastructure

Food waste in developed nations

Food retail, food service, or in homes

French study

Diet centered on fruits and vegetables would have lower environmental impact than diet on animal products as center of the plant items

As residential and urban uses of land increases, what happens?

The potential for conflict tends to increase due to 57% odor and 18% fly problems

T or F: It is more likely to get food poisoning from fruits than meats

True

How much percent is crop land?

19.5%

How much percent is grassland and pastures?

26%

How much percent of the US is forested?

29%

How much percent is preserved and protected areas?

13%

Nevada has much of it land owned by who?

The government

Waste management issues are concern to what?

The Intensive agricultural system

Specific issues with the waste management issues

Manure management and odor control

Who handles odor and noise regulations?

By state and local regulations

Livestock industry uses water in how many ways?

3

What 3 ways does livestock use water?

Production and management if livestock, processing meat, milk, and eggs, and irrigation to produce feedstuffs

How much water and freshwater is used by livestock animals?

Less than 1% ad 9%

Code of ethics

A statement value and ethics

Animal rights

Groups of people that believe animals have rights that include not being consumed, used in sport or research, or as pets or companions, equal rights under the law

The preservative continuum ranges from the extremes of what?

Animal exploitation and animal liberation

Animal liberationists

Very extreme groups that extends animal rights agenda in violent ways and believe that their cause is so justified that any means used to advance that cause is acceptable

Good shepherd

A symbiotic relationship where animals help provide for human beings, but the people have a deep responsibility to provide good anima care and to utilize management practices that assure well-being

Animal control groups

Include organizations at all levels of government that deal with domestic or wild animal control, implementing effective spay and neuter programs relative to dogs and cats as well as providing pet shelters and adoption programs

Animal welfare

A philosophy that advocates for the humane treatment of animals

What have livestock producers organizations, individual companies, and supply chain alliances have developed?

Animal care guidelines to serve as best practices regarding transportation, harvest protocols, housing, and rearing

Nonambulatory animals

Lame animals

Management of nonambulatory animals

Much criticism about human treatment of livestock

Producers who make transport and marketing decision are to0 focus on the what?

STOP principle

S- sick

Fever greater than 103 for cattle that have been treated but have not yet been cleared the withdrawal time to avoid residue

T- thin

Body condition score of less than 3 or less on an 8-point scale

O- ocular lesions

Blind in both eyes

P- pain

due to lameness, peritonitis, bone fractures, or other injuries= no transport or marketing

How many breeds are there?

Over 250 breeds

What breed is still being developed today?

Composite

Purebred

Proving ancestry, “register” in breed organization

What doesn’t have a high level of homozygosity?

Purebred breeds

T or F: No single breed is superior for all economically important traits

True

What is key to effective genetic breeding?

Genetic variation 

Terminal breeds (Charlois, Simmental, Limousin)

Excel in growth rate and muscularity

Dual-purpose (Simmental and Shorthorn)

Breed with above average performance in both paternal and maternal traits (beef and milk)

Maternal (Hereford and Angus)

Breeds with superior performance in fertility, calving ease, and reproductive performance

What is the #1 register breed? (1 in 4)

The angus

Registration in 2022

Angus, Charlois, Hereford, Simmental

British Breeds (Maternal)

Angus, Red Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn

Continental or European Breeds (Terminal or Paternal)

Charolais, Simmental, Limousin, Gelbvieh

Brahman and Brahman Cross Breeds (Heat Tolerant)

American Brahman, Brangus, Simbrah, Santa Gertrudis, Beefmaster

How many beef breeds in the US have a widespread impact on national herds?

Fewer than 20

Reason for expansion of breeds in the US?

Grain feeding (lean to fat), Economic pressure to produce weigh in shorter amount of time, needed more milk production and growth potential, and Capitalize on merchandising certain breed with production traits