Abstract: The behavior of insects and their perception of their surroundings are driven, in a large part, by odorants and pheromones. This is especially true for social insects, such as the honey bee, where the queen controls the development and the caste status of the other individuals. Pheromone perception is a complex phenomenon relying on a cascade of recognition events, initiated in antennae by pheromone recognition by a pheromone-binding protein and finishing with signal transduction at the axon membrane level. With to the objective of deciphering this initial step, we have determined the structures of the bee antennal pheromone-binding protein (ASP1) in the apo form and in complex with the main component of the queen mandibular pheromonal mixture, 9-keto-2(E)-decenoic acid (9-ODA) and with nonpheromonal components. In the apo protein, the C terminus obstructs the binding site. In contrast, ASP1 complexes have different open conformations, depending on the ligand shape, leading to different volumes of the binding cavity. The binding site integrity depends on the C terminus (111-119) conformation, which involves the interplay of two factors; i.e. the presence of a ligand and a low pH. Ligand binding to ASP1 is favored by low pH, opposite to what is observed with other pheromone-binding proteins, such as those of Bombyx mori and Anopheles gambiae.

Abstract: Das Droh- und Meideverhalten von 270 Pferden wurde im Fressbereich von 10 Offenlaufställen
mit Fressständen und 11 Offenlaufställen mit computergesteuerten Abrufstationen
anhand von visuellen kontinuierlichen Direktbeobachtungen erfasst. Diese erfolgten je Betrieb
über einen 24-Stunden-Tag, der nach dem Tortenstückverfahren (6x4 Stunden) zusammengesetzt
war.
Insgesamt wurden 6297 agonistische Verhaltensweisen in, vor und hinter den
Fütterungseinrichtungen registriert (Meiden 40,6 %, Verdrängen 12,8 %, Beißen/ Hinterhandschlag/
Angehen 12,7 % und Drohen/ Drohbeißen/ Hinterhanddrohen 33,9 %). In den
Futterstationen wurden 22,5 % dieses Verhaltens beobachtet, vor und hinter den Futterstationen
77,5 %. Bei den Betrieben mit Fressständen fanden 31 % der agonistischen Verhaltensweisen
in den Ständen statt, bei den Betrieben mit Abruffütterung 21 %.
Der Einfl uss des einzelnen Betriebes (innerhalb Fütterungssystem) auf die agonistischen
Verhaltensweisen vor und hinter den Fütterungseinrichtungen war signifi kant. Die Auswertung
ergab, dass Drohgesten im Wartebereich von Abrufstationen häufi ger auftreten
als in dem von Fressständen. Demgegenüber können Pferde in Abrufstationen ungestörter
fressen. Insgesamt betrachtet war jedoch die Anzahl an sozionegativen Interaktionen im
Bereich der Futtereinrichtungen bei beiden Fütterungssystemen gering. Die agonistischen
Verhaltensweisen wurden zusätzlich noch von der Heumenge und dem Konstitutionstyp
beeinfl usst.
Der Betrieb erwies sich als maßgeblicher Einfl ussfaktor. Als Resümee ergibt sich, dass
bei ordnungsgemäßer Gruppenhaltung mit fachgerechtem Management beide Fütterungssysteme
für Pferde im Offenlaufstall geeignet sind.
[The threatening and avoiding behaviour of 270 horses living in run-out sheds was observed
at 10 stables with feeding stalls and at 11 stables with automatic feeding systems for hay
and concentrates. Every group of horses was observed on five succeeding days visually
and immediately for 6 sessions, each of 4 hours. These 6 slices form together 24 hours, a
complete day.
Altogether, 6297 agonistic behaviour patterns were registered in front of, inside and
behind the feeding stations (avoiding behaviour 40.6 %, edging out of others 12.8 %,
Auseinandersetzungen an automatischer Abruffütterung und Fressständen
KTBL-Schrift 471 79
biting/rear leg kicking/charging 12.7 % und threatening/biting threats/rear leg kicking
threats 33.9 %). 22.5 % of these types of behaviour were recorded in the feeding stations,
77.5 % together in front and behind of these. In the stables with feeding stalls there were
31 % of the observed threatening gestures inside the feeding stations, in the stables with
automatic feeders only 21 %.
The individual farm showed signifi cant infl uence on the modes of agonistic behaviour
in front and behind the feeding facilities. Threatening gestures happen more often in the
waiting area of automatic feeders than in that of feeding stalls. On the other hand horses
in computer controlled systems will be less disturbed at eating. All together the number
of negative interactions in the feeding area at both feeding systems was relatively low.
In addition the agonistic behaviour was infl uenced by the quantity of hay and the constitutional
typ of the horses.
Because of the management of the individual stable exercises the most substantial
infl uence on the behaviour of the horses, it can be said, that, correct group keeping with
professional management provided, both feeding systems are suitable for horses in run-in
sheds.]

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.

Abstract: To date, a large amount of equine genetic data has been obtained regarding (i) extant domestic horses of various breeds from all over the world, (ii) ancient domestic horses, (iii) the extant Przewalski's wild horse, and (iv) the late Pleistocene wild horse from Eurasia and North America. Here, a review of mtDNA and Y chromosome marker analyses is presented in the context of horse domestication. High matrilineal (mtDNA) diversity, which can be found in both extant and ancient (domestic and wild) horses, has suggested that a high number of wild (and tamed) mares were domesticated. Alternatively, Y chromosome marker analysis revealed a single haplotype in all domestic horses analyzed; interestingly even a small population of extant Przewalski's wild horses showed two different Y chromosome haplotypes. It seems that an extreme male population bottleneck occurred due to domestication, while reduction in the female population was only moderate, leaving about 100 distinct haplotypes. For this reason, we speculate that domestication might have started when the appropriate stallion was found or was obtained by selection. Perhaps it had some unusual but special characteristics which could have accelerated the process of domestication. We doubt that only a single Y chromosome haplotype will be found in present-day domestic horses if there are no important differences between the founder stallion/s and the other stallions that were not included in the domestication. In the Eneolithic, tamed and wild mares have probably been spread all over Eurasia, although the number of animals was most likely very low and the populations were limited to a restricted area (e.g., taming centers). Only two subspecies of wild horses (Tarpan and Przewalski's wild horse) have survived up to recently. During the further process of domestication, mares (tamed or wild) were preferentially crossed to stallions having more desirable characteristics. We assume that mares from different regions varied in their morphology due to adaptation to their local environmental conditions. These data might explain rapid expansion of horse populations, as well as their rapid differentiation into various phenotypes during the early phase of domestication.

Abstract: Brain mechanisms for communication must establish a correspondence between sensory and motor codes used to represent
the signal. One idea is that this correspondence is established at the level of single neurons that are active when the
individual performs a particular gesture or observes a similar gesture performed by another individual. Although neurons
that display a precise auditory–vocal correspondence could facilitate vocal communication, they have yet to be identified.
Here we report that a certain class of neurons in the swamp sparrow forebrain displays a precise auditory–vocal
correspondence. We show that these neurons respond in a temporally precise fashion to auditory presentation of certain
note sequences in this songbird’s repertoire and to similar note sequences in other birds’ songs. These neurons display
nearly identical patterns of activity when the bird sings the same sequence, and disrupting auditory feedback does not alter
this singing-related activity, indicating it is motor in nature. Furthermore, these neurons innervate striatal structures
important for song learning, raising the possibility that singing-related activity in these cells is compared to auditory
feedback to guide vocal learning.