BASC103A - Module 3 (Animal Behavior)

Animal behavior

Animal behavior

Actions performed by an animal in response to internal/external stimuli

Ingestive

• eating action; eating of food & drinking water to sustain body energy throughout the day

(form of innate behavior)

Internal Stimuli

stimuli from its own body signals

Indicators of Good Animal Welfare

• Alertness & curiosity

• Normal range of activities

• Interaction w/other members

• Interaction w/humans

• Playing

Maintenance and Reproductive Behavior

2 Categories of Normal Behavior

Reflex, Instinct, Ingestive, Body care, Thermoregulatory, Taxis, Migration, Aestivation, Hibernation

Enumerate the 9 Forms of Innate Behavior

Reflex

• automatic/autonomic response; involves no conscious control

• Ex: normal reflex when touching hot is to pull away

(form of innate behavior)

Social Behavior

Maintenance behavior that is related with the animal’s ability to communicate w/others

Flehmen reaction

rolling/curling of lips when pheromones are smelled (dogs, hamsters)

Innate Behavior

Maintenance behavior that is genetically determined & animals are born w/this ability

Instinct

• complex innate behavior/response; not taught

• Ex: suckling in newborn; nest building in birds

(form of innate behavior)

Significance of animal behavior in animal welfare

• To know the animal’s feelings

• To know the animal’s choices

• To know the animal’s reactions

Territorial

• way of defending a physical space against other members of its species; prevents over-crowding & increases survival in case of fighting

• Territorial dogs may be aggressive resulting to biting

(form of social behavior)

Thermoregulatory

• to attain optimum body temperature

• Animals would take shade under trees to avoid sun heat; would pant

• When cold they will shiver; will result to herd-gallop to raise body temperature

(form of innate behavior)

Causes of agonistic behavior

• Formation of new groups; results to fighting specially in cattle

• Entry of new individual in a well-established group

• Competition for limited food supply & bedding space

• Competition for mates

Browser

term used to describe animals that eats above the plant

Reproductive Behavior

essential for the perpetuation of new individuals; there are certain behavioral traits in female & male animals

tongue rolling

form of abnormal behavior that's seen in calves or young cattle; associated w/psychological behavioral frustration

Grazer

term used to describe animals that eats at the middle of the plant

External/Environmental Stimuli

stimulus from environment

Body care

• to attain comfort (autogrooming vs allogrooming); done to prevent disease & parasitism; includes scratching & licking; sick animals wouldn’t clean their bodies

(form of innate behavior)

Rooter

term used to describe animals that eats below the plant

Indicators of Poor Animal Welfare

• Limited range of activity

• Panting or sweating (indicates hot environmental temperature)

• Huddling & shivering (indicates cold temperature)

• Depression & inactivity (indicates sickness)

• Abnormal fear or aggression w/humans

Taxis

• reaction to specific environmental stimulus

(form of innate behavior)

Ethology

branch of animal science that deals w/ behavior; useful for animal welfare

Migration

• seasonal movement of animals to other places; usually to warmer areas

(form of innate behavior)

Habituation

• no punishment or reward involved; animal is repeatedly given stimulus

• Ex: horses wouldn’t move when cars go by

(form of learned behavior)

Wallowing

playing in mud or water to cool down

Hibernation

• state of deep sleep; body temp, oxygen consumption & breathing rate decreases to conserve energy (bats, hamster, hedgehogs, bears)

(form of innate behavior)

Trial & Error

• animal keeps trying until correct response is made to attain the reward; reward is expected

(form of learned behavior)

feather picking

form of abnormal behavior that's associated w/loss of diet, poor ventilation (chickens)

Agonistic Behavior

all forms of behavior in animals which is in conflict w/other animals

Phototaxis

meaning light; movement of organism towards a light source

Courtship dances

• body movement to attract mates specially in spiders, birds

(form of social behavior)

Learned Behavior

Maintenance behavior that is acquired from practice/experience

Habituation, Imprinting, Classical Conditioning, Trial & Error

Enumerate the 4 Forms of Learned Behavior

Pheromonal, Courtship dances, Territorial

Enumerate the 3 Forms of Social Behavior

Aestivation

• state of reduced metabolism; occurs to animals living in intense heat (done by snails & slugs)

(form of innate behavior)

Maintenance Behavior

This behavior has 3 subtypes: innate, learned, & social

Imprinting

• social attachment to object during “critical period”

• Ex: when you pick a baby bird, it may think you are the mother

(form of learned behavior)

head shaking

form of abnormal behavior that's associated w/irritation & nervousness (chickens)

Behavioral Pattern

• Organized segment of behavior having a special function may be developed through playing or social contact w/other animals

• Under influence of environmental stimulation & genetic factors

• Varies with sexes, breed, strain, individual, & climate, & other factors

Classical Conditioning

• associated w/a specific stimulus; animals learn to associate one event to another event; association of closely related events

• In Pavlov’s experiment, ringing of bell (acts as a stimuli) indicates food

(form of learned behavior)

Tail-biting

form of abnormal behavior that's associated w/stress & discomfort (pigs)

Pheromonal

• communicates through chemical messengers; associated w/pheromone chemicals

• Ex: ants would communicate through pheromones

(form of social behavior)

Female reproductive behaviors (during estrus)

• Restlessness, bellowing, & twitching of tail (specially in cows)

• Urinating stance (for horses); frequent urination is also evident

• seeking for the opposite sex (in sheep)

Male reproductive behaviors (increased libido)

• Nosing of perineum (smelling of vulva)

• Flicking out of tongue

• Bleating (in goats, sheep)

Bleating

producing of unusual low-pitch sounds (in goats, sheep)

Avenues for the prevention of abnormal behavior

• Improve/alter housing

• Provide adequate space to avoid overcrowding

• Suitable beddings

• Adequate exercise

• Adequate roughages & balanced diet

• Separation of sick or injured animals from healthy ones

Chemotaxis

movement of organism towards a chemical source

Abnormal/Anomalous Behavior

repeated behavior aberrations

crib-biting/cribbing

form of abnormal behavior that's seen in horses; associated w/stress & gastrointestinal irritability

Causes of Abnormal Behaviors

• Overcrowding

• Monotonous environment

• Suppression of natural instinct

• Inadequate exercise

• Malnutrition & nutritional imbalance