ANIMAL WELFARE (Aggressive Behaviour)

Question 1

Aggression:

Answer 1

-a physical act by one individual with the actual or potential result of harming, limiting or depriving the ‘fitness’ of another

Question 2

Agonistic behaviours:

Answer 2

-broader term
-includes all forms of behaviours associated with conflict between animals
>including both aggression and submission
Ex. threats, displays, retreats, immobilization

Question 3

Aggressiveness:

Answer 3

-personality trait shaped by genotype and early experience
-modulated according to psychological, physical and physiological characteristics
*costly behaviour: important for animals to learn or give up soon (aware when the cost would be too much for the reward)

Question 4

Psychological characteristics:

Answer 4

-win-loss ratio

Question 5

Physical characteristics:

Answer 5

-presence of horns, antlers, etc.

Question 6

Physiological characteristics;

Answer 6

-hormonal status
-health status

Question 7

Animals that are more successful with aggressive behaviour:

Answer 7

-will be more likely to continue to do the behaviour

Question 8

types of aggressive behaviours

Answer 8

1. Offensive
2. Defensive
3. Predatory
4. Organic origin
5. Mock fighting

Question 9

offensive

Answer 9

-territorial
-sex related
-instrumental aggression

Question 10

defensive

Answer 10

-fear-induced
-maternal

Question 11

Offensive behaviour:

Answer 11

-individual trying to gain access to a specific resource

Question 12

Territorial behaviour:

Answer 12

-occurs in an area in which the animal has established itself
-40-60% of cases

Question 13

Sex related behaviour:

Answer 13

-stimulated by the proximity of 2 males not familiar with each other
-elicited by the same stimuli that elicit sexual responses

Question 14

Instrumental aggression behaviour:

Answer 14

-learned response (reinforced)
Ex. fight between dogs: shown behaviour due to dominance, but it has been reinforced by performing the behaviour and will do it more often

Question 15

Defensive behaviour:

Answer 15

-avoidance of an external intrusion

Question 16

Fear-induced behaviour:

Answer 16

-characteristic of confined or cornered animals that feel threatened
-preceded by escape movements

Question 17

Maternal behaviour:

Answer 17

-elicited by the proximity of some agent that is threatening to a female’s young

Question 18

Predatory behaviour:

Answer 18

-inhibited by a hungry individual in the presence of a prey item

Question 19

Organic origin behaviour:

Answer 19

-irritable state elicited by a broad range of health issues
Ex. stress/frustration, pain, brain tumours, rabies

Question 20

Mock fighting:

Answer 20

-a feature of social reactivity
-variant of play behaviour
-no harm is caused, but it’s a good experience to refine their motor skills

Question 21

Can tell behaviours apart based on:

Answer 21

-origin of behaviour OR the body signals that an animal displays

Question 22

Offensive aggression body signals:

Answer 22

-tail bristled, raised and stiff
-legs stiff
-ears forward
-nose wrinkled
-lips curled
-teeth visible
-body leaning forward

Question 23

Defensive aggression body signals:

Answer 23

-tail tucked and stiff
-ears back
-nose wrinkled
-lips slightly curled
-teeth may be visible
-body lowered

Question 24

To differentiate aggressions:

Answer 24

-posture
-circumstances
-who is the aggression directed to

Question 25

Posture:

Answer 25

-is not voluntary
-triggered by the neurons activated with each type of aggressive behaviour

Question 26

Circumstances when:

Answer 26

-approached
-food is around
-you want to touch it

Question 27

Who is the aggression directed to:

Answer 27

-owners
-one individual in particular
-other dogs

Question 28

Aggressive behaviours in dogs, problem for the dog

Answer 28

-euthanasia
-abandonment

Question 29

Aggressive behaviours in dogs, problem for the humans:

Answer 29

-2-5 million people bitten per year
>1 million requiring hospitalization
-280deaths in 15years
-particularly in children (40%)
*in most cases dog had owners and there was no obvious triggering cause

Question 30

Destructiveness:

Answer 30

-can also be considered a redirected aggressive behaviour
-huge proportion of why animals end up in shelter

Question 31

Causes of aggression in farm species:

Answer 31

-mixing of unfamiliar animals
-competition over food
-spatial factors and overcrowding
-frustration, fear, pain, boredom

Question 32

Pigs aggression:

Answer 32

-slash with tusks at opponents neck and shoulders
-bites directed towards shoulder, neck, front legs and ears
-some head knocks against opponent
-no kicking

Question 33

Cattle aggression:

Answer 33

-horns and head to butt neck, shoulder, flank and buttocks
-kick with hind legs to the side
-no biting

Question 34

Sheep aggression:

Answer 34

-butt with head, often back up and charge
-clashing head on
-do not kick or bite

Question 35

Goats aggression:

Answer 35

-similar to sheep
-butt heads
-rear on hind legs and clash heads on downward thrust
-do not kick or bite

Question 36

Horses aggression:

Answer 36

-bites directed towards neck, shoulders, flank and legs
-kick with hind legs
-may defend front legs from bites by kneeling

Question 37

Chickens aggression:

Answer 37

-face each other with raised hackles and direct peak at head and body
-scratch with feet and spurs as they fly towards opponent

Question 38

Consequences of aggression:

Answer 38

-physical injury
-physiological effects

Question 39

Physical injury:

Answer 39

-to humans and conspecifics
1. Lacerations
2. Injuries

Question 40

Lacerations (physical injury)

Answer 40

-provide avenue for infections
-skin damage and bruising results in reduced revenue
-leads to increased cut outs and downgrading of meat products

Question 41

Injuries (physical injury):

Answer 41

-most common reason for culling bulls used in community pasture systems is lameness
>often due to injuries suffered during male-male fighting

Question 42

Physiological effects:

Answer 42

-natural activation of HPA axis, which may lead to immunosuppression
-can be lethal in pigs with a genetic defect or cause reductions in carcass value
-fighting depletes glycogen stores in muscles, which results in high pH and dark cutters

Question 43

Physiological effects: pigs with genetic defect:

Answer 43

-can be lethal
-sudden death
*Porcine Stress Syndrome

Question 44

Reduction in carcass value: PSE

Answer 44

-pale
-soft
-exudative

Question 45

Controlling aggression:

Answer 45

-make accurate diagnostic on the REASON of aggressive behaviour
>offensive, defensive, organic source….

Question 46

Controlling aggression examples:

Answer 46

-castration
-drugs
-behavioural training
-increase serotonin
-environmental design
-provide sufficient food
-avoid mixing

Question 47

castration:

Answer 47

-for offensive aggressions
-doesn’t work in females
-may need additional treatment

Question 48

Drugs:

Answer 48

-useful while the drug is active, so you can implement other measures

Question 49

Behavioural training:

Answer 49

-change of dominance rank, socialization
-flooding/habituation

Question 50

Increase serotonin:

Answer 50

-through diet, exercise and drugs

Question 51

Castration, dehorning, tail docking, teeth clipping:

Answer 51

-does NOT remove the CAUSE of the aggression
-provides long term benefits
-most are under close examination

Question 52

Environmental design:

Answer 52

-adequate space provision
-allow animals to remove themselves from the situation