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Author Smith, D.G.; Pearson, R.A. doi  openurl
  Title A review of the factors affecting the survival of donkeys in semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Tropical Animal Health and Production Abbreviated Journal Trop Anim Health Prod  
  Volume (up) 37 Suppl 1 Issue Pages 1-19  
  Keywords Africa South of the Sahara; Animal Nutrition Physiology; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cattle; Equidae/growth & development/*physiology; Socioeconomic Factors  
  Abstract The large fluctuations seen in cattle populations during periods of drought in sub-Saharan Africa are not evident in the donkey population. Donkeys appear to have a survival advantage over cattle that is increasingly recognized by smallholder farmers in their selection of working animals. The donkey's survival advantages arise from both socioeconomic and biological factors. Socioeconomic factors include the maintenance of a low sustainable population of donkeys owing to their single-purpose role and their low social status. Also, because donkeys are not usually used as a meat animal and can provide a regular income as a working animal, they are not slaughtered in response to drought, as are cattle. Donkeys have a range of physiological and behavioural adaptations that individually provide small survival advantages over cattle but collectively may make a large difference to whether or not they survive drought. Donkeys have lower maintenance costs as a result of their size and spend less energy while foraging for food; lower energy costs result in a lower dry matter intake (DMI) requirement. In donkeys, low-quality diets are digested almost as efficiently as in ruminants and, because of a highly selective feeding strategy, the quality of diet obtained by donkeys in a given pasture is higher than that obtained by cattle. Lower energy costs of walking, longer foraging times per day and ability to tolerate thirst may allow donkeys to access more remote, under-utilized sources of forage that are inaccessible to cattle on rangeland. As donkeys become a more popular choice of working animal for farmers, specific management practices need to be devised that allow donkeys to fully maximize their natural survival advantages.  
  Address Department of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, Scotland, UK. d.g.smith@abdn.ac.uk  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0049-4747 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16335068 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4231  
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Author Hedberg, Y.; Dalin, A.-M.; Ohagen, P.; Holm, K.R.; Kindahl, H. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Effect of oestrous-cycle stage on the response of mares in a novel object test and isolation test Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Reproduction in Domestic Animals = Zuchthygiene Abbreviated Journal Reprod Domest Anim  
  Volume (up) 40 Issue 5 Pages 480-488  
  Keywords Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Cross-Over Studies; Diestrus/*physiology; Estrus/*physiology; Female; Heart Rate/*physiology; Horses/*physiology; Questionnaires  
  Abstract In various species, sex, hormonal treatments and oestrous-cycle stage have been shown to affect the animal's response in behavioural tests. Few such studies have been performed in the horse. The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether oestrous-cycle stage affects mares' response to a novel object test and isolation test and, in part, to study whether mares, assumed to suffer from oestrous-related behavioural problems, respond differently in these tests when compared with controls. Twelve mares were tested twice, in oestrus and dioestrus, in a crossover design. Seven behavioural and two heart rate variables were measured for the novel object test and two heart rate variables for the isolation test. Oestrous-cycle stage and whether a mare was classified as a 'problem' mare did not affect the mare's response. However, test order, i.e. the cycle stage a mare was tested in first, affected its reaction. This effect could partly be explained by significant differences between test occasions 1 and 2 in three behavioural variables and one heart rate variable (p < 0.05) in the novel object test. The mares explored the novel object more and had a higher mean heart rate in the first test. Exploring the novel object more could largely be attributed to those mares tested in dioestrus first, perhaps indicating that the mares in oestrus were less receptive to the novel object. The reason for the differences between test occasions could be an effect of learning or habituation.  
  Address Division of Comparative Reproduction, Obstetrics and Udder Health, Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. ylva.hedberg@kv.slu.se  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0936-6768 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16149956 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5170  
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Author Brosnan, S.F.; de Waal, F.B.M. doi  openurl
  Title Responses to a simple barter task in chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Primates Abbreviated Journal Primates  
  Volume (up) 46 Issue 3 Pages 173-182  
  Keywords Analysis of Variance; Animals; Choice Behavior/*physiology; Conditioning (Psychology)/physiology; Learning/*physiology; Pan troglodytes/*physiology; Reward; Sex Factors; *Social Behavior; *Token Economy  
  Abstract Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) frequently participate in social exchange involving multiple goods and services of variable value, yet they have not been tested in a formalized situation to see whether they can barter using multiple tokens and rewards. We set up a simple barter economy with two tokens and two associated rewards and tested chimpanzees on their ability to obtain rewards by returning the matching token in situations in which their access to tokens was unlimited or limited. Chimpanzees easily learned to associate value with the tokens, as expected, and did barter, but followed a simple strategy of favoring the higher-value token, regardless of the reward proffered, instead of a more complex but more effective strategy of returning the token that matched the reward. This response is similar to that shown by capuchin monkeys in our previous study. We speculate that this response, while not ideal, may be sufficient to allow for stability of the social exchange system in these primates, and that the importance of social barter to both species may have led to this convergence of strategies.  
  Address Living Links, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. sbrosna@emory.edu  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0032-8332 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15824938 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 167  
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Author Mejdell, C.M.; Simensen, E.; Boe, K.E. openurl 
  Title Is snow a sufficient source of water for horses kept outdoors in winter? A case report Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica Abbreviated Journal Acta Vet Scand  
  Volume (up) 46 Issue 1-2 Pages 19-22  
  Keywords Animals; *Drinking Behavior; *Horses; Norway; Osmolar Concentration; Snow; *Thirst; *Water Supply  
  Abstract Due to extreme weather conditions, a flock of outwintered Icelandic horses had to manage for several days on snow as the source of free water. They were fed grass silage ad lib, and any change in feed consumption was not observed. After nine days, blood samples were taken and analysed for plasma osmolality, they were subjected to a simple clinical examination, and offered drinking water. Osmolality levels were within normal limits and mean value did not differ significantly from samples which previously were taken of the same individuals. The general condition of the horses was normal, with no signs of clinical dehydration or disease. The horses showed very little interest for the offered drinking water. This suggests that in cold winter weather, horses being fed grass silage and adjusted to eat snow, can manage for several days with snow substituting liquid water without their physiology and welfare being challenged.  
  Address National Centre for Veterinary Contract Research and Commercial Services, Ltd  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0044-605X ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16108209 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 1886  
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Author Poti, P. doi  openurl
  Title Chimpanzees' constructional praxis (Pan paniscus, P. troglodytes) Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Primates Abbreviated Journal Primates  
  Volume (up) 46 Issue 2 Pages 103-113  
  Keywords Animals; *Cognition; *Discrimination Learning; Female; Male; Pan troglodytes/*physiology; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology; Spatial Behavior/*physiology; Species Specificity  
  Abstract This study investigated chimpanzees' spontaneous spatial constructions with objects and especially their ability to repeat inter-object spatial relations, which is basic to understanding spatial relations at a higher level than perception or recognition. Subjects were six chimpanzees-four chimpanzees and two bonobos-aged 6-21 years, all raised in a human environment from an early age. Only minor species differences, but considerable individual differences were found. The effect of different object samples was assessed through a comparison with a previous study. A common overall chimpanzee pattern was also found. Chimpanzees repeated different types of inter-object spatial relations such as insertion (I), or vertical (V), or next-to (H) relations. However chimpanzees repeated I or V relations with more advanced procedures than when repeating H relations. Moreover, chimpanzees never repeated combined HV relations. Compared with children, chimpanzees showed a specific difficulty in repeating H relations. Repeating H relations is crucial for representing and understanding multiple reciprocal spatial relations between detached elements and for coordinating independent positions in space. Therefore, the chimpanzees' difficulty indicates a fundamental difference in constructive space in comparison to humans. The findings are discussed in relation to issues of spatial cognition and tool use.  
  Address Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, CNR, via U. Aldrovandi 16b, 00197, Rome, Italy. p.poti@istc.cnr.it  
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  ISSN 0032-8332 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes PMID:15378424 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2811  
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Author Gácsi, M; Györi, B; Miklósi, Á; Virányi, Z; Kubinyi, E; Topál,J; Csányi, V doi  openurl
  Title Species-specific differences and similarities in the behavior of hand-raised dog and wolf pups in social situations with humans Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Developmental Psychobiology Abbreviated Journal Dev Psychobiol  
  Volume (up) 47 Issue 2 Pages 111-122  
  Keywords hand-raising • domestication • inborn social preferences • communicative signals • dog • wolf  
  Abstract In order to reveal early species-specific differences, we observed the behavior of dog puppies (n = 11) and wolf pups (n = 13) hand raised and intensively socialized in an identical way. The pups were studied in two object-preference tests at age 3, 4, and 5 weeks. After a short isolation, we observed the subjects' behavior in the presence of a pair of objects, one was always the subject's human foster parent (caregiver) and the other was varied; nursing bottle (3 weeks), unfamiliar adult dog (3 and 5 weeks), unfamiliar experimenter (4 and 5 weeks), and familiar conspecific age mate (4 weeks). Dogs and wolves did not differ in their general activity level during the tests. Wolf pups showed preference for the proximity of the caregiver in two of the tests; Bottle-Caregiver at the age of 3 weeks and Experimenter-Caregiver at the age of 5 weeks, while dogs showed preference to the caregiver in three tests; conspecific Pup-Caregiver and Experimenter-Caregiver at the age of 4 weeks and dog-caregiver at the age of 5. Compared to wolves, dogs tended to display more communicative signals that could potentially facilitate social interactions, such as distress vocalization, tail wagging, and gazing at the humans' face. In contrast to dog puppies, wolf pups showed aggressive behavior toward a familiar experimenter and also seemed to be more prone to avoidance. Our results demonstrate that already at this early age - despite unprecedented intensity of socialization and the comparable social (human) environment during early development - there are specific behavioral differences between wolves and dogs mostly with regard to their interactions with humans. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 47 – 111-122, 2005.  
  Address Department of Ethology, Eötvös University, Budapest, Pázmány P. 1/c. 1117 Hungary; Comparative Ethology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Pázmány P. 1/c. 1117 Hungary  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Copyright © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Editor  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4985  
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Author Howard, R.W.; Blomquist, G.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Ecological, behavioral, and biochemical aspects of insect hydrocarbons Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Annual Review of Entomology Abbreviated Journal Annu Rev Entomol  
  Volume (up) 50 Issue Pages 371-393  
  Keywords Animals; Behavior, Animal/physiology; Hydrocarbons/*metabolism; Insects/*physiology; Pheromones/*physiology; Reproduction; Species Specificity  
  Abstract This review covers selected literature from 1982 to the present on some of the ecological, behavioral, and biochemical aspects of hydrocarbon use by insects and other arthropods. Major ecological and behavioral topics are species- and gender-recognition, nestmate recognition, task-specific cues, dominance and fertility cues, chemical mimicry, and primer pheromones. Major biochemical topics include chain length regulation, mechanism of hydrocarbon formation, timing of hydrocarbon synthesis and transport, and biosynthesis of volatile hydrocarbon pheromones of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. In addition, a section is devoted to future research needs in this rapidly growing area of science.  
  Address USDA-ARS, Manhattan, Kansas 66502, USA. howardks@ksu.edu  
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  ISSN 0066-4170 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes PMID:15355247 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4650  
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Author Hanggi, E.B. url  openurl
  Title The Thinking Horse: Cognition and Perception Type Conference Article
  Year 2005 Publication International Veterinary Information Service Abbreviated Journal AAEP  
  Volume (up) 51 Issue Pages  
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  Abstract Cognition and perception in horses has often been misunderstood. Not only in the past but even today, people proclaim that horses react only by instinct, that they are just conditioned-response animals, that they lack advanced cognitive ability, and that they have poor visual capabilities (e.g., acuity, color vision, depth perception). Until relatively recently, there was little scientific evidence to address such beliefs. Change, however, is underway as scientific and public interest in all aspects of equine learning and perception intensifies. A review of the scientific literature, as well as practical experience, shows that horses excel at simpler forms of learning such as classical and operant conditioning, which is not surprising considering their trainability when these principles and practices are applied. Furthermore, horses have shown ease in stimulus generalization and discrimination learning. Most recently and unexpected by many, horses have solved advanced cognitive challenges involving categorization learning and some degree of concept formation. A comprehensive understanding of the cognitive and perceptual abilities of horses is necessary to ensure that this species receives proper training, handling, management, and care.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 465  
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Author Hogan, J. doi  openurl
  Title Causation: the study of behavioural mechanisms Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Animal Biology (formerly Netherlands Journal of Zoology) Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (up) 55 Issue 4 Pages 323-341  
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  Abstract This paper describes current work on the causal analysis of behaviour systems. It is noted that while causal work investigating the neural, hormonal, and genetic bases of behaviour is flourishing, work being conducted at a strictly behavioural level of analysis has declined greatly over the past 40 years. Nonetheless, most recent research on animal cognition and applied ethology is still being carried out at a behavioural level of analysis and examples of both types of research are presented: memory mechanisms of food-storing birds and decisions of spider-eating jumping spiders, as well as feather pecking in fowl and animal welfare issues, are all briefly discussed. Finally, I discuss the similarities between neural network modelling and early ethological models of motivation, and then show how a modern version of Lorenz's model of motivation can account for current research findings on dustbathing in chickens and sleep in humans. I conclude that valuable information can still be obtained by research at a behavioural level of analysis.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3134  
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Author Bolhuis, J. doi  openurl
  Title Function and mechanism in neuroecology: looking for clues Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication Animal Biology (formerly Netherlands Journal of Zoology) Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (up) 55 Issue 4 Pages 457-490  
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  Abstract The four questions that Niko Tinbergen identified for behavioural biology ? evolution, function, development and causation ? are all important and should be studied in their own right. Recently, there has been a debate as to whether these four questions should be investigated separately or whether they should be integrated. Integration of the four questions has been attempted in novel research disciplines such as cognitive ecology, evolutionary psychology and neuroecology. Euan Macphail and I have criticised these integrative approaches, suggesting that they are fundamentally flawed as they confound function and mechanism. Investigating the function or evolutionary history of a behaviour or cognitive system is important and entirely legitimate. However, such investigations cannot provide us with answers to questions about the mechanisms underlying behaviour or cognition. At most, functional or evolutionary considerations can provide clues that may be useful for a causal analysis of the underlying mechanisms. However, these clues can be misleading and are often wrong, as is illustrated with examples from song learning and food storing in birds. After summarising the main issues in the neuroecology debate, I discuss some misunderstandings that were apparent in the responses to our critique, as well as some recent relevant data. Recent results do not support the neuroecological approach. Finally, I suggest that the way forward is a cautious and critical use of functional and evolutionary clues in the study of the mechanisms of behaviour.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3396  
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