Impact of socialization on the possibility to conduct behavioral tests in sheep
Kamila Janicka
Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Street, 20-950, Lublin, Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8891-5384
Jacek Sokołowski
Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Street, 20-950, Lublin, Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4848-203X
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the impact of socialization with humans on the possibility to conduct tests evaluating problem-solving in sheep. The research included 30 Świniarka sheep aged from 2 to 8 years. The sheep were kept in the barn-pasture system. The observations included three trials carried out on three consecutive days for each sheep. The behavior of the sheep, i.e. exploration and approach to equipment elements of the test arena, was analyzed. The experiment was conducted on groups of sheep with low (G1) and high (G2) levels of socialization. The study showed that the test environment was challenging for the G1 sheep, so they were unable to complete the task successfully.
Keywords:
cognition, problem solving, sheep, socializationReferences
Ashton B.J., Ridley A.R., Edwards E.K., Thornton A., 2018. Cognititve performance is linked to group size and affects fitness in Australian magpies. Nature 554(7692), 364–367. https://doi.org.10.1038/nature25503 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25503
Baragli P., Vitale V., Paoletti E., Sighieri C., Reddon A.R., 2011. Detour behaviour in horses (Equus caballus). J Ethol. 29, 227–234. https://doi.org.10.1007/s10164-010-0246-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-010-0246-9
Briefer E.F., Haque S., Baciadonna L., McElligott A.G., 2014. Goats excel at learning and remem-bering a highly novel cognitive task. Front Zool. 11(20). https://doi.org/10.1186/1742- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-9994-11-20
-9994-11-20
Coulon M., Nowak R., Peyrat J., Chandèze H., Boissy A., Boivin X., 2015. Do lambs perceive regular human stroking as pleasant? Behavior and heart rate variability analyses. PLoS ONE. 10(2), e0118617. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0118617 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0118617
Destrez A., Coulon M., Deiss V., Delval E., Boissy A., Boivin X., 2013. The valence of the long-lasting emotional experiences with various handlers modulates discrimination and generalization of individual humans in sheep. J. Anim. Sci. 91, 5418–5426. https://doi.org/ 10.2527/jas.2012-5654 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2012-5654
Doyle R.E., 2017. 4 – Sheep cognition and its implications for welfare. Advances in Sheep Welfare. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition. Woodhead Publishing, 55–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100718-1.00004-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100718-1.00004-2
Dwyer C.M., 2009. Welfare of sheep: providing for welfare in an extensive environment. Small Rumin. Res. 86, 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2009.09.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2009.09.010
Guesdon V., Nowak R., Meurisse M., Boivin X., Cornilleau F., Chaillou E., Lévy F., 2016. Behavioral evidence of heterospecific bonding between the lamb and the human caregiver and mapping of associated brain network. Psychoneuroendocrinology 71, 159–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.05.020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.05.020
van Horik J.O., Gangley E.J.G., Whiteside M.A., Madden J.R., 2017. Differential participation in cognitive tests is driven by personality, sex, body condition and experience. Behav. Processes. 134, 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.07.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.07.001
Johnson-Ulrich L., Holekamp K.E., Hambrick D.Z., 2020. Innovative problem-solving in wild hyenas is reliable across time and context. Sci. Rep. 10, 13000. https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41598-020-69953-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69953-5
Langbein J., Nürnberg G., Manteuffel G. 2004. Visual discrimination in learning in dwarf goats and associated changes in heart rate and heart rate variability. Physiol. Behav. 82, 601–609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.05.007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.05.007
Mastellone V., Scandurra A., D’Aniello B., Nawroth C., Saggese F., Silvestre P., Lombardi P., 2020. Long-term socialization with humans affects human-directed behavior in goats. Animals 10, 578. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040578 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040578
Meehan C.L., Mench J.A., 2007. The challenge of challenge: can problem solving opportunities enhance animal welfare? App. Anim. Behav. Sci. 102, 246–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.applanim.2006.05.031 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2006.05.031
Mendl M.,1999. Performing under pressure: stress and cognitive function. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 65, 221–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00088-X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00088-X
Morton A.J., Avanzo L., 2011. Executive decision-making in the domestic sheep. PLoS ONE, 6(1), e15752. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0015752 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0015752
Nowak R., Boivin X., 2015. Filial attachement in sheep: similarities and differences between ewe-lamb and human-lamb relationships. App. Anim. Behav. Sci. 164, 12–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.09.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.09.013
Rosenberger K., Simmler M., Langbein J., Keil N., Nawroth C., 2021. Performance of goats in a detour and a problem-solving test following long-term cognitive test exposure. R. Soc. Open Sci. 8, 210656.8. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210656 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210656
Rowell M.K., Pillay N., Rymer T.L. 2021. Problem solving in animals: Proposal for an ontogenetic perspective. Animals 11, 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030866 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030866
Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development dated December 14, 2016 on the minimum requirements to apply to the institution and the minimum requirements for the care of animals kept at the institution (Dz.U. 2016 poz. 2139) [Rozporządzenie Ministra Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. w sprawie minimalnych wymagań, jakie powinien spełniać ośrodek, oraz minimalnych wymagań w zakresie opieki nad zwierzętami utrzymywanymi w ośrodku (Dz.U. 2016 poz. 2139)].
Schwabe L., Wolf O.T., Oitzl M.S., 2010. Memory formation under stress: quantity and quality. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 34, 584–591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.015
Siebert K., Langebein J., Schön P.-C., Tuchscherer A., Puppe B., 2011. Degree of social isolation affects behavioural and vocal response patterns in dwarf goats (Capra hircus). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 131, 53–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2011.01.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2011.01.003
Sokołowski J., Janicka K., Rozempolska-Rucińska I., 2022. Wpływ poziomu strachu na behawior pokarmowy owiec. Med. Weter. 78(11), 577–580. http://dx.doi.org/10.21521/mw.6693 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21521/mw.6693
Valenchon M., Lévy F., Prunier A., Moussu C., Calandreau L., Lansade L., 2013. Stress modulates instrumental learning performances in horses (Equus caballus) in interaction with temperament. PLos ONE 8(4), e62324. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062324 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062324
Wat K.K.Y., Banks P.B., McArthur C., 2020. Linking animal personality to problem-solving performance in urban common brushtail possums. Anim. Behav. 162, 35–45. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.01.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.01.013
Zulkifli I., 2013. Review of human-animal interactions and their impact on animal productivity and welfare. J. Anim. Sci. Biotechnol. 4, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/2049-1891-4-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/2049-1891-4-25
Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Street, 20-950, Lublin, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8891-5384
Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Street, 20-950, Lublin, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4848-203X
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
From 2022 articles are made available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0). Articles published before 2022 are available under Creative Commons Attribution – Non-commercial use – No derivative works 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Submission of the paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
