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Author Smith, L.A.; Wells, K.L.; Marion, G.; Swain, D.L.; Hutchings, M.R. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Effects of group composition on the grazing behaviour of herbivores Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume In Press, Corrected Proof Issue Pages  
  Keywords grazing; group composition; herbivore; individual behaviour; physiological state  
  Abstract Animal behaviour is often a function of the animal's physiological state. Groups of animals will often contain individuals with a range of physiological states and the grazing behaviour of herbivores is affected by their physiological state. This study compared the grazing decisions of animals in groups of single and mixed physiological states. Using a grazing model that simulated individual herbivore behaviour in relation to environmental distributions of forage resource (grass) and parasites (faeces), we tested the hypothesis that an animal's level of parasite exposure via the faecal-oral route is affected by the composition of physiological states in the group. Four physiological states were considered: parasite-naïve, parasitized, lactating and parasite-immune animals. Baseline parasite exposure levels for each state were generated by simulating single-state groups and were compared to simulations of each of the six two-state combinations. In single-state groups parasitized animals had the least and lactating animals had the greatest levels of parasite exposure. When co-grazing with lactating animals, parasitized, immune and naïve animals increased their parasite exposure, relative to single-state groups. When co-grazing with parasitized animals, lactating, immune and naïve animals reduced their parasite exposure, relative to single-state groups. There was no difference in parasite exposure of the immune or naïve animals co-grazing together when compared to the single-state groups. These results highlight the need to recognize the impact of the individual when studying group-living animals.  
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  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5155  
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Author Bergvall, U.A.; Schäpers, A.; Kjellander, P.; Weiss, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Personality and foraging decisions in fallow deer, Dama dama Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume In Press, Corrected Proof Issue Pages  
  Keywords antipredator behaviour; boldness; Dama dama; dominance; fallow deer; foraging; novelty; personality  
  Abstract Recent studies have examined the ecological and evolutionary bases for variation in animal personality. However, only a few such studies have examined how foraging parameters are influenced by different personality domains. In wild ungulates, the trade-off between the time spent on food intake and antipredator behaviour differs between individuals, but the underlying reason for this is not yet well understood. One possibility is that this trade-off reflects personality dimensions such as boldness. To relate foraging decisions to personality we measured personality and performed feeding experiments with familiar and novel food in familiar and novel situations. We measured personality traits in 15 tame fallow deer, using novel object tests (NO), behavioural observations (BO) and personality ratings (PR). Boldness dimensions were found using PR and NO, dominance dimensions were found using BO and PR, and a flexibility dimension was found using BO. Multitrait-multimethod analysis showed that similar dimensions were significantly correlated across different methods and that different dimensions were not significantly correlated, even if measured using the same method. We also found that novel food eaten in familiar situations and familiar food eaten in novel situations were strongly related to boldness but not dominance, flexibility or age. Thus the trade-off between the benefits of gaining more food and the costs of reduced vigilance or increased toxin ingestion reflect boldness. These findings highlight the nature of personality dimensions in ungulates and how boldness impacts foraging behaviour.  
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  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5278  
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Author Søndergaard, E.; Jensen, M.B.; Nicol, C.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Motivation for social contact in horses measured by operant conditioning Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume In Press, Corrected Proof Issue Pages  
  Keywords Horse; Housing; Social behaviour; Operant conditioning; Motivation  
  Abstract Although horses are social animals they are often housed individually with limited social contact to other horses and this may compromise their welfare. The present study included eight young female horses and investigated the strength of motivation for access to full social contact, head contact and muzzle contact, respectively, to a familiar companion horse. Horses were housed individually next to their companion horse and separations between pens prevented physical contact. During daily test sessions horses were brought to a test area where they could access an arena allowing social contact. Arena access during 3 min was given after completion of a predetermined number of responses on a panel. Fixed ratios (FR) of 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40 responses per arena access were applied in a random order, one per daily test session, within each test week (Monday to Friday), and the number of rewards per daily test session was recorded. All horses could access all three types of social contact in a cross-over design, and an empty arena was used as control. Motivational strength was assessed using elasticity of demand functions, which were estimated based on the number of rewards earned and FR. Elasticities of demand for the three types of social contact were low (-0.20), and not significantly different, although increasing FR still resulted in a decrease in rewards obtained for all three types of social contact (P < 0.001). Across FR-levels horses earned more rewards for social contact than for an empty arena, as shown by much higher intercept values (2.51 vs. 0.99; P < 0.001). However, the elasticity of demand for infrequent access to an empty arena (-0.08) was lower than for social contact (P < 0.01) and not significantly different from zero (P = 0.07). Horses performed more social behaviour the lesser the restriction on social contact (full > head > muzzle). However, the finding that horses showed a similar and high motivation for all three types of social contact suggests that they are valued equally highly in a situation where the alternative is no social contact.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5388  
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Author Siniscalchi, M.; Sasso, R.; Pepe, A.M.; Dimatteo, S.; Vallortigara, G.; Quaranta, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Sniffing with the right nostril: lateralization of response to odour stimuli by dogs Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume In Press, Corrected Proof Issue Pages  
  Keywords animal welfare; Canis familiaris; dog; emotion; laterality olfaction; physiology  
  Abstract Lateralization in dogs, Canis familiaris, has been reported for paw usage and response to visual and acoustic stimuli. Surprisingly, however, no investigation of possible lateralization for the most relevant sensory domain of dogs, namely olfaction, has been carried out. Here we investigated left and right nostril use in dogs freely sniffing different emotive stimuli in unrestrained conditions. When sniffing novel nonaversive stimuli (food, lemon, vaginal secretion and cotton swab odours), dogs showed initial preferential use of the right nostril and then a shift towards use of the left nostril with repeated stimulus presentation. When sniffing arousal stimuli such as adrenaline and veterinary sweat odorants, dogs showed a consistent right nostril bias all over the series of stimulus presentations. Results suggest initial involvement of the right hemisphere in processing of novel stimuli followed by the left hemisphere taking charge of control of routine behaviour. Sustained right nostril response to arousal stimuli appears to be consistent with the idea that the sympathetic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is mainly under the control of the right hemisphere. The implications of these findings for animal welfare are discussed.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5394  
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Author Górecka-Bruzda, A.; Jastrzebska, E.; Sosnowska, Z.; Jaworski, Z.; Jezierski, T.; Chruszczewski, M.H. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Reactivity to humans and fearfulness tests: Field validation in Polish Cold Blood Horses Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume In Press, Corrected Proof Issue Pages  
  Keywords Cold blood horse; Temperament; Reactivity; Behavioural tests; Questionnaire; Validity  
  Abstract The aim of the present paper was to examine in field conditions the feasibility of the experimentally developed behavioural tests for assessment of two temperamental traits of cold blood horses: fearfulness and reactivity to humans. The predictive, convergent and discriminant validity of the tests was evaluated. Fifty-three Polish Cold Blood Horses (CBHs) were tested with the battery of behavioural tests involving passive and active contact with humans, handling, startling, novel object and surface tests. The behaviour of horses in real, on-farm conditions was evaluated with the caretaker's questionnaire (CQ). The tests demonstrated that a non-startling object and unforced human manipulations were willingly accepted by horses. In contrast, the horses were more reluctant to interact spontaneously with humans and showed longer persistence of a withdrawal reaction when presented with a startling stimulus or when restrained. CQ confirmed the common opinion of calmness, patience and good manageability of the CBHs. The results of behavioural tests were correlated with the scores derived from factor analysis of the CQ. Moreover, the majority of tests measures were correlated within reactivity to humans (median rs = 0.56) and fear tests (median rs = 0.41). Thus, predictive and convergent validity of the employed tests has been confirmed. However, reactivity to humans and fear measures were also correlated (median rs = 0.36), therefore discriminant validity of the tests used has been not confirmed. Therefore, we suggest that the parameters of tests designed to measure two separate traits: reactivity to humans and fearfulness, measured in fact avoidance of potential harm and withdrawal behaviour. Although selection for the work-appropriate behaviour is almost nonexistent nowadays, we conclude that Polish Cold Blood Horses are still predisposed for disciplines of equitation and driving, which demand an easy to handle horse. Nonetheless, we recommend behavioural testing of horses when approving for breeding. For this purpose, we can confirm usefulness of the experimentally developed tests in field assessment of general behavioural reactivity of horses.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5395  
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Author Birke, L.; Hockenhull, J.; Creighton, E.; Pinno, L.; Mee, J.; Mills, D. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Horses' responses to variation in human approach Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume In Press, Corrected Proof Issue Pages  
  Keywords Horse; Flight response; Human approach; Body posture; Approach speed; Natural horsemanship  
  Abstract The behaviour of humans around horses is thought to have a substantial impact on how people are perceived in subsequent interactions and many horse trainers give detailed advice on how handlers should behave when initially approaching a loose horse. Here we report on three studies designed to explore the effect of different human approach styles on the behaviour of naïve and experienced horses. In the first study, the change in flight distance (distance at which horses started to avoid an approaching human) of twelve semi-feral Dartmoor ponies, undergoing training to allow handling, was assessed. Over the 10 handling sessions median flight distance decreased significantly (p < 0.001) from 2.38 m to 0.00 m and there was a significant positive shift in the ponies' behaviour following the appearance of the researcher (p = 0.002). In a second study the effect of a direct (vigorous, swinging a lead rope and with eye contact) versus indirect (relaxed, no rope swinging and without eye contact) approach style was assessed on six adult experienced riding horses. The mean flight distance during a direct approach style (6.87 m) was significantly greater than that which occurred during an indirect approach style (2.32 m). Direction of approach was not found to significantly affect flight distance. In a third study, the effect of the rope was removed and a similar method to the second study applied to a group of naïve, feral ponies. The effect of different components of approach style, speed of approach, handler body posture and direction of gaze, which might contribute to observed differences in behavioural responses, were then examined systematically in this population. This revealed no significant difference in mean flight distance between the two approach styles (2.28 m indirect versus 2.37 m direct approach), but ponies were significantly more likely to move off in trot (p = 0.025) and to travel further (p = 0.001) when a direct approach was used. Speed of approach was the most salient factor, with a fast approach increasing both the tendency to move off in trot (p < 0.001) and distance travelled (p < 0.001). Body posture (relaxed or tense) had no effect, while flight distance was significantly greater when the person was looking away (p = 0.045). These results suggest horses may have an important egocentric spatial barrier, which perhaps relates to personal space and triggering of the flight response. Contrary to popular belief, body posture did not appear to be very important in the contexts examined unless accompanied by extraneous aids, while the speed of approach is particularly significant. These results are of important practical relevance in reducing the risk of injury, and the effective management of horses with minimal stress.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5401  
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Author Hartmann, E.; Søndergaard, E.; Keeling, L.J. doi  openurl
  Title Keeping horses in groups: A review Type Journal Article
  Year (up) Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords Equine; Behaviour; Welfare; Housing; Social  
  Abstract Although husbandry conditions for horses have improved over the last decades, many horses are still kept singly with limited or no physical contact to other horses. This is surprising, given the fact that keeping horses in groups is recognised best to fulfil their physical and behavioural needs, especially their need for social contact with conspecifics, as well as to have a beneficial effect on horse–human interactions during training. Group housing of farm animals is widely applied in practice. As a consequence, scientists have investigated numerous aspects of group housing to help further improve animal welfare and human–animal interactions under these conditions. However, compared to this literature available in farm animals, and the plentiful studies conducted of feral horse populations, there is much less done when it comes to the management of horses kept in groups in the domestic environment. In particular, limited scientific information is available into the effect of group size and group composition on behaviour and methods of introducing new horses into established groups, even though problems related to social integration are repeatedly taken as arguments against keeping horses in groups. This review, therefore, aims to provide an overview of the current scientific knowledge regarding keeping horses in groups. Furthermore, it aims to give insight into whether or not some of the concerns related to keeping horses in groups are justified and to review scientifically based solutions that could be useful in practice to improve horse welfare and human safety.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5490  
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Author Norris, M.J. url  openurl
  Title Group effects on the activity and behaviour of adult males of the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria Forsk.) in relation to sexual maturation Type Journal Article
  Year (up) 1962 Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 10 Issue 3-4 Pages 275-291  
  Keywords  
  Abstract During the pre-maturation period crowded males of Schistocerca gregaria are more active than isolated ones but the greater part of their extra activity is not locomotory but consists of the kicking movements made in response to contact with other locusts. Isolated males walk less often during this period but tend to jump (or fly) more than crowded ones. Activity increases with maturity and the increase is greater in the isolated males so that in spite of the absence of mechanical stimulation by other locusts their locomotor activity is now at least as great as that of the crowded ones and their jumping activity greater. Within one batch there is a tendency for those males which are most active during the first two weeks of adult life to mature earliest. The activity of young males crowded with fledglings is at first similar to that of males crowded with older locusts, but after the first two weeks the activity of both mature and immature males is depressed by crowding with fledglings. Mature males habitually isolated become less active when temporarily crowded with fledglings, but not when crowded with mature males. Mature and immature males habitually crowded with fledglings become more active when temporarily isolated and still more active when crowded with each other, or with other mature males. The inhibiting effect of the fledglings on maturation and their depressive effect on activity should in natural conditions promote synchronization of maturation and the cohesion of the group. There was little difference in activity between young males kept in single pairs and in isolation, except that in one experiment the isolated ones jumped more often. Young males kept in pairs with mature males are more active during the first week of adult life than those kept in pairs with each other. The males paired with mature males were also seen feeding much less often than those paired with each other. This was the only treatment in which a significant effect on the frequency of feeding was recorded. The femoral vibrations made by both mature and immature males in response to stimulation by mature males, occur less often in habitually crowded males than in those temporarily crowded or kept with one mature male only. This is presumably the result of habituation to the stimulus. The behaviour of wild Schistocerca males in a large outdoor cage was very similar to that of a low density laboratory group. All results suggest that there is an association between high activity and rapid maturation. This is compatible with the conclusion from earlier work that a low level of feeding is associated with rapid maturation.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 2158  
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Author Mason, W.A.; Hollis, J.H. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Communication between young rhesus monkeys Type Journal Article
  Year (up) 1962 Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 10 Issue 3-4 Pages 211-221  
  Keywords  
  Abstract 1. 1. The communication performance of 12 rhesus monkeys was investigated in a situation in which the rewards of both members of a pair of monkeys could not exceed chance levels unless the operator monkey responded to cues provided by the informant monkey which indicated the location of food. Each member of the pair was trained in both operator and informant roles in different phases of the experiment. Communication performance improved progressively to levels consistently above chance. However, communication learning appeared to be specific to the role in which the individual was trained, and when roles were reversed no evidence of transfer was obtained. Tests of foodsharing behaviour showed a substantial increase in the tendency to share food with the partner following communication training. This occurred however, only when the partner was the only social stimulus present; if another monkey was also present there was no evidence of preferential responses to the partner. In all phases of communication training, monkeys which were housed together performed more efficiently than did monkeys housed individually.2. 2. The acquisition of stimulus-producing responses was investigated by causing an opaque screen to remain in front of the informant unless the operator monkey pulled a vertical lever at the front of its restraining cage. Initially, operators responded immediately to the foodcarts, but with further testing there was a steady increase in the tendency to defer the response to the food-carts until the lever had been pulled, revealing the informant monkey.3. 3. Transfer of communication training was tested with new monkey informants, and with two inanimate stimuli, a mechanical puppet, and a stationary plaque. The latter two objects were placed behind the rewarded food-carts before each trial. There was clear evidence of positive transfer to each of these conditions, but marked differences among conditions were obtained. Performance with the monkeys averaged 76 per cent. correct, as compared with 62 and 40 per cent., with the puppet and the plaque, respectively.4. 4. To test the ability of trained operator monkeys to select the appropriate informant on the basis of behavioural cues, the communication situation was arranged so that two informant monkeys were present on all trials. However, on any trial only one of these informants could be rewarded, and the operator's rewards were contingent upon delivering food to this informant. Efficiency of discrimination began at approximately 45 per cent, (chance = 25 per cent. and improved progressively to levels above 75 per cent.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3017  
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Author Dawson, B.V.; Foss, B.M. doi  openurl
  Title Observational learning in budgerigars Type Journal Article
  Year (up) 1965 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 13 Issue 4 Pages 470-474  
  Keywords Animals; *Attention; *Behavior, Animal; Birds; *Learning  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2991  
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