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Author Langbein, J.; Puppe, B. url  openurl
  Title Analysing dominance relationships by sociometric methods--a plea for a more standardised and precise approach in farm animals Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 87 Issue 3-4 Pages 293-315  
  Keywords Dominance; Dyads; Social hierarchy; Sociometric measures; Pig; Dwarf goat  
  Abstract Social dominance is a multidimensional phenomenon occurring in all gregarious farm animals and finds its reflection in a dominance hierarchy. Hence, numerous studies have tried to analyse dominance relationships as well as to correlate outcoming results (mostly individual ranks) with other behavioural and/or physiological features of the animals. Although the concept of dominance, once established, has been developed continuously and several sociometric measures were cumulatively introduced, a consistent analysing approach has not been achieved, especially in farm animals. Thus, considerable inconsistencies in the used methodology may impair obtained results and interpretations. The present paper is a plea for a more standardised and complex approach when analysing dominance relationships, not only in farm animals. First, derived from a structural definition of dominance, we suggest in detail the preferably consistent use of appropriate sociometric measures at all social levels of analysis: the dyad as the starting level, the group as the highest level, and the individual as the basic level. Second, we applied this procedures in a case study to analyse social dominance in a group of dwarf goats (n=12) and pigs (n=10), respectively, to comparatively demonstrate benefits and problems of such an approach in two different farm animal species. It is concluded that the use of individual ranks is actually only reasonable when fundamental sociometric measures both at the dyadic level (e.g. percentage of dyads which have a significant asymmetric outcome) and at the group level (e.g. the strength of hierarchy) are successfully tested by statistical methods as also presented in this paper. The calculated sociometric measures deliver not only a more comprehensive “picture” of the social relationships within a group as simple ranks do, but also indicate possible reasons of differences in the behavioural development. For instance, whereas the dwarf goats maintained a quasi-linear dominance hierarchy over time with a high rate of overt agonistic behaviour, pigs after the establishment of their hierarchy showed a reduced agonistic behaviour which makes it questionable to calculate reliable sociometric measures. These species-dependent variations may be primarily caused by different kinds of the fighting behaviour in goats (i.e. ritualised, low costs) and pigs (i.e. more seriously, high costs). Overall, a more consistent and standardised approach of analysing social dominance in (farm) animals may improve the scientific value of single studies and makes it easier to compare various studies within a species and between species.  
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  Call Number Serial 2141  
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Author Lehmann, K.; Kallweit, E.; Ellendorff, F. url  doi
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  Title Social hierarchy in exercised and untrained group-housed horses--A brief report Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 96 Issue 3-4 Pages 343-347  
  Keywords Horses; Social hierarchy; Exercise; Group-housing  
  Abstract Changes in social hierarchy were evaluated in a herd of 3-year-old Hanoverian geldings. One group (n = 5) was exposed to a training programme, the other (n = 5) remained untrained. After 6 months, the groups were reversed. Hierarchical positions were evaluated by field observations and/or paired-feeding tests at the beginning, the middle, the end of the first and at the end of the second training period. Both methods yielded identical results. Almost all horses changed position in only one direction: either up or down. Neither increase in aggression nor mutual injuries were recorded during the whole experiment. No statistically verified differences in dominance ranking occurred between trained and untrained groups, but apparent differences were consistent. Thus, if horses are kept in the same group for a longer period of time, exercise induced changes in hierarchy are probably of minor importance and are unlikely to increase the incidence of injuries. This may have implications for the promotion of group-housing for sport horses.  
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  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 800  
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Author Nelissen, M.H.J. url  doi
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  Title The effect of tied rank numbers on the linearity of dominance hierarchies Type Journal Article
  Year 1986 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.  
  Volume 12 Issue 2 Pages 159-168  
  Keywords dominance hierarchy, linearity, Landau's index, despotism  
  Abstract The occurence of tied rank numbers in dominance hierarchies is discussed, especially its effect on the linearity of the hierarchy. This linearity is measured with Landau's index, that is calculated for several hierarchies with tied ranks on one, two of three levels. Linearity is mostly affected by ties in small groups with many ties. A distinction is made between a hierarchy of individuals and hierarchical levels. The phenomenon of despotism is called an extreme case of tied ranks. It is proposed to regard hierarchies with a linearity in a continuous scale.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4285  
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Author Neumann, C.; Duboscq, J.; Dubuc, C.; Ginting, A.; Irwan, A.M.; Agil, M.; Widdig, A.; Engelhardt, A. url  doi
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  Title Assessing dominance hierarchies: validation and advantages of progressive evaluation with Elo-rating Type Journal Article
  Year 2011 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 82 Issue 4 Pages 911-921  
  Keywords David’s score; dominance hierarchy; dominance rank; Elo-rating; hierarchy stability; I&Si; Macaca mulatta; Macaca nigra; methodology  
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  ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5677  
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Author Noë, R.; de Waal, F.B.; van Hooff, J.A. openurl 
  Title Types of dominance in a chimpanzee colony Type Journal Article
  Year 1980 Publication Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology Abbreviated Journal Folia Primatol (Basel)  
  Volume 34 Issue 1-2 Pages 90-110  
  Keywords Agonistic Behavior; Animals; Animals, Zoo; *Behavior, Animal; Competitive Behavior; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Hierarchy, Social; Male; *Pan troglodytes; *Social Dominance  
  Abstract This study examines to what extent the concept of dominance can be used to describe the social structure of a group of semi-free-living chimpanzees. 15 behavioural variables, based on agonistic, competitive and affinitive behaviour patterns, have been compared with respect to the interindividual directions in which they occurred. In this analysis use was made of indices that reflect the position an individual occupies in the relationship structure. These indices were calculated per individual for all variables and subjected to factor analysis and cluster analysis. As a result, 13 of the variables could be grouped in three categories which have been labelled: (1) agonistic dominance; (2) bluff dominance, and (3) competitive dominance. Whereas the top positions in the hierarchies based on the first two closely related types of dominance were occupied by the adult males, the hierarchy based on the third type was headed by several adult females.  
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  ISSN 0015-5713 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes PMID:7439873 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 212  
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Author Overli, O.; Korzan, W.J.; Hoglund, E.; Winberg, S.; Bollig, H.; Watt, M.; Forster, G.L.; Barton, B.A.; OVerli, E.; Renner, K.J.; Summers, C.H. doi  openurl
  Title Stress coping style predicts aggression and social dominance in rainbow trout Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Hormones and Behavior Abbreviated Journal Horm Behav  
  Volume 45 Issue 4 Pages 235-241  
  Keywords Adaptation, Psychological/physiology; Aggression/*physiology; Animals; *Dominance-Subordination; Female; *Hierarchy, Social; Hydrocortisone/blood; Individuality; Male; Matched-Pair Analysis; Oncorhynchus mykiss/*physiology; Stress/*physiopathology  
  Abstract Social stress is frequently used as a model for studying the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying stress-induced behavioral inhibition, depression, and fear conditioning. It has previously been shown that social subordination may result in increased glucocorticoid release and changes in brain signaling systems. However, it is still an open question which neuroendocrine and behavioral differences are causes, and which are consequences of social status. Using juvenile rainbow trout of similar size and with no apparent differences in social history, we demonstrate that the ability to win fights for social dominance can be predicted from the duration of a behavioral response to stress, in this case appetite inhibition after transfer to a new environment. Moreover, stress responsiveness in terms of confinement-induced changes in plasma cortisol was negatively correlated to aggressive behavior. Fish that exhibited lower cortisol responses to a standardized confinement test were markedly more aggressive when being placed in a dominant social position later in the study. These findings support the view that distinct behavioral-physiological stress coping styles are present in teleost fish, and these coping characteristics influence both social rank and levels of aggression.  
  Address Biology Department and Neuroscience Group, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. oyvind.overli@bio.uio.no  
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  ISSN 0018-506X ISBN Medium  
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  Notes PMID:15053939 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4192  
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Author Pluhacek, J.; Bartos, L.; Culik, L. url  doi
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  Title High-ranking mares of captive plains zebra Equus burchelli have greater reproductive success than low-ranking mares Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 99 Issue 3-4 Pages 315-329  
  Keywords Equus burchelli; Social hierarchy; Reproductive success; Inter-birth interval; Zoo; Zebra  
  Abstract Plains zebra live in harems that include one to six adult mares. Between these mares is a strong order of social hierarchy. The social rank of an equid mare is typically correlated with her age. Further, high-ranking captive plains zebra mares produce more surviving offspring than low-ranking mares. The objectives of this study were to, first, examined the factors that influence social rank of captive plains zebra mares, and second, test if high-ranking mares conceive earlier and if they have shorter inter-birth intervals than low-ranking ones. We observed three herds of captive plains zebra (a total of 18 mares) at the Dvur Kralove Zoo, Czech Republic. During the 831 h of observation, we recorded 1713 aggressive interactions (biting and offensive kicking) between the mares. These data were used to determine, for each mare, the total number of mares that dominated her in each period of social stability. The GLMM model revealed that older mares were dominated by a lower number of mares than the younger mares. We also found that the probability that a mare would conceive declined with the increasing number of dominant mares. Further, we tested the relationship between the number of dominant mares and the inter-birth interval using 29 intervals for 15 mares. These inter-birth intervals were divided into two groups. When a stallion was continuously present in the herd, the intervals lasted from one birth to the next birth (natural intervals). When a herd was without a stallion, the intervals lasted from the release of the stallion into the herd to the birth of foal (stallion-influenced intervals). The analysis revealed that the inter-birth intervals decreased with an increasing number of dominant mares and the natural intervals decreased with an increasing number of offspring successfully reared by a mare. This finding is the first one in equids and contributes to the previous findings that suggest that social status influences reproductive success.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2228  
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Author Puppe, B.; Langbein, J.; Bauer, J.; Hoy, S. url  doi
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  Title A comparative view on social hierarchy formation at different stages of pig production using sociometric measures Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Livestock Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 113 Issue 2-3 Pages 155-162  
  Keywords Pig; Dominance; Sociometric measures; Social hierarchy; Ontogeny  
  Abstract A standardised and comprehensive approach to describe dominance relationships in gregarious farm animals quantitatively was recently developed, incorporating a combination of appropriate sociometric measures. The present study applied this approach to a comparative analysis of the social hierarchies within 57 groups of domestic pigs at different age/production stages with a total of 496 animals. Unacquainted pigs were grouped to three age categories which correspond to the typical production stages: weaned pigs (PIG28, 12 groups), growing pigs (PIG80, 16 groups), and reproductive sows (SOW, 29 groups). Based on observed agonistic interactions, sociometric values were calculated both at the dyadic and at the group level and may be considered as preliminary reference values for further studies. As indicated by the respective values of the Kendall index (PIG28: 0.66, tested as significant in 69.0% of the observed groups; PIG80: 0.71, 87.5%; SOW: 0.61, 69.0%), and the improved Landau index (PIG28: 0.70, 75.0%; PIG80: 0.72, 93.7%; SOW: 0.71, 72.4%), a social organisation towards a quasi-linear social hierarchy was predominantly developed throughout all age/production categories. However, compared to weaned and growing pigs, sows were characterised by significant differences concerning establishment (fewer agonistic interactions) and kind (more unknown dyads, fewer two-way and significant dyads, higher directional consistency index) of their social hierarchy. It seems that sows have effectively adapted their agonistic behaviour towards pen-mates to regulate social dominance relationships, whereas younger pigs frequently display agonistic interactions also to gain additional experience on social cues (e.g. the fighting ability of an opponent). Hence, it is concluded that the effective experience of socialisation during sensitive periods may increase the social skills of pigs which in turn can improve their welfare and health, e.g. by adjusted aggressive behaviour. The consideration of comparable and standardised sociometric measures in livestock breeding may help to improve husbandry conditions.  
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  Call Number Serial 2139  
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Author Val-Laillet, D.; Passille, A.M. de; Rushen, J.; von Keyserlingk, M.A.G. url  doi
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  Title The concept of social dominance and the social distribution of feeding-related displacements between cows Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 111 Issue 1-2 Pages 158-172  
  Keywords Cattle; Social dominance; Competitive success; Hierarchy; Feeding competition  
  Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the classical properties of social dominance describe the pattern of feeder-related displacements with groups of cattle. We also compared the advantages and disadvantages of three dominance indices for describing the competitive success at the feeder. We observed displacements at the feeder within six groups of 12 lactating dairy cows over 72 h per group. We demonstrated that the cattle in our experiment established a quasi-linear hierarchy at the feeder where many dominance relationships were bi-directional (52.0 +/- 5.9%); namely, dominance relationships were significantly linear (P < 0.05 in five of the six groups) but contained many circular triads (45.0 +/- 5.6%). Dominance rank influenced the milk production (r = 0.36, P = 0.002) and the time budget of the animals: high-ranking cows were found spending more time at the feeder during the 120 min following provision of fresh food than low-ranking cows (P = 0.022), but dominance indices based on the occurrence of displacements at the feeder did not correlate with actual time spent at the feeder. The presence of numerous circular triads and bi-directional relationships suggests that the classical properties of social dominance do not correspond to the pattern of displacements that occur at feeders within small groups of cattle. Instead, the competitive success may also be affected by motivation or persistence by the animal to gain access to the food resource.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4213  
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Author Valderrabano-Ibarra, C.; Brumon, I.; Drummond, H. url  doi
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  Title Development of a linear dominance hierarchy in nestling birds Type Journal Article
  Year 2007 Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 74 Issue 6 Pages 1705-1714  
  Keywords agonistic behaviour; blue-footed booby; dominance; hatch asynchrony; hierarchy; Sula nebouxii; trained winning  
  Abstract Theoreticians propose that trained winning and losing are important processes in creating linear animal dominance hierarchies, and experiments have shown that both processes can occur in animals, but their actual roles in creating natural hierarchies are unknown. We described agonism in 18 broods of three blue-footed boobies, Sula nebouxii, a species for which trained winning and losing have been demonstrated, to infer how these processes generate and maintain a natural hierarchy. Ranks in the linear hierarchy that emerged in every brood were initially assigned by asymmetries in age, size and maturity, which led to differences between broodmates in levels of expressed and received aggression and, consequently, to differences in the training of their aggressiveness and submissiveness. Later, ranks appeared to be maintained by the chicks' acquired aggressive and submissive tendencies combined with ongoing effects of persisting differences in size and maturity. Our results suggest that trained winning and trained losing are important in the construction of booby hierarchies but that these two axes of learning are largely independent. Increase in submissiveness occurs over a period of about 10-20 days, and the level of submissiveness reached varies with the amount of aggression received. After training, submissiveness is apparently maintained by a lower level of aggression and increasing use of threats. Threats become increasingly effective as chicks age, but are never as effective as attacks.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4318  
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