Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Vocalizations Of Isolated Piglets. Ii. Some Environmental Factors, D. Fraser

Communication Skills Collection

The vocalizations of suckling piglets were studied during brief tests which involved social isolation, restriction of movement, and exposure to unfamiliar surroundings. Similar trends were shown in most cases by the three classes of call studied - closed mouth grunts, open mouth grunts, and squeals. The rate of calling was much lower when a piglet was in the home pen than when alone in an unfamiliar pen, and more calls were given in both situations when the animal’s movement was restricted by caging. The presence of the dam and four littermates in unfamiliar surroundings caused a large reduction in calling, …

Vocalizations Of Isolated Piglets. I. Sources Of Variation And Relationships Among Measures, D. Fraser

Communication Skills Collection

The vocalizations and activity of suckling piglets aged 4 to 25 days were studied during 5-min periods of social isolation in an unfamiliar enclosure. The animals became very active and vocalized repeatedly during the test, but the reaction was attenuated among older litters. Calls were predominantly closed mouth grunts at low rates of calling, and mainly squeals and open mouth grunts at high overall rates. Squealing correlated with open mouth grunting and with the activity measure both within and between litters. Even so, the measures appeared to be affected independently by the piglets’ behaviour in the home pen just before …

The Effect Of Straw On The Behaviour Of Sows In Tether Stalls, D. Fraser

Housing and Confinement of Farm Animals Collection

The behaviour of sows in tether stalls with and without straw was studied in two experiments. Sows lay down more when 1 kg of straw was provided daily, especially when it was chopped and mixed wet with the food (dietary effect). Sows without straw performed a variety of stereotyped oral and other activities which were greatly reduced by the provision of loose straw that could be chewed and manipulated throughout the day (recreational effect). Sows were frequently seen standing or sitting motionless with the head drooping, probably in a state of drowsiness. This behaviour was virtually eliminated by full straw …

Special Report On Zoo Reform

Special Reports

The Humane Society of the United States has taken the lead for the past 3 1/2 years in reforming American zoos. HSUS has awakened Americans to the fact that wild animals have been caged inhumanely for many decades in the nation's zoos and that major and drastic actions are necessary to correct these problems. While HSUS has continued to insist that no wild animal should be exploited simply to create an attraction or exhibit, such is not the state of the world as it exists today. Consequently, HSUS is determined to do everything in its power to alleviate the suffering …

Special Report On Controlling America's Pet Population

Special Reports

HSUS estimates that public and private animal control programs cost the nation as much as $500 million a year. Much of this expense is required for the feeding and care of unwanted animals during the 5 to 10 days they are held for adoption, killing the 80% that are not adopted or redeemed, and disposing of the carcasses. The result is both an unconscionable waste of life and a needless drain on public and private money.

A large part of the blame for people undertaking pet ownership without having made a total commitment to the animal lies with the pet …

The Behaviour Of Swine, J. P. Signoret, B. A. Baldwin, D. Fraser, E. S. E. Hafez

Mammalogy Collection

The pig was a forest-dwelling animal from the beginning of its history. In some parts of the world it has been domesticated for at least 7000 years. The European breeds of domestic swine were derived from the local wild pig, Sus scrofa. Herds ranged in pastures and forests and kept indoors only for fattening. The breeds in the Far East were derived from another wild pig, Sus vittatus, a smaller animal with shorter legs and a higher reproductive ability (Mohr 1960; Zeuner 1963). The two types interbred readily. The modem breeds of pig evolved from different crossings between the two …

Social Stress And Welfare Problems In Agricultural Animals, D. G. M. Wood-Gush, I. J. H. Duncan, D. Fraser

Farm Animal Welfare Collection

Disruptions of an animal's social behaviour can, in some respects at least, mimic the effects of such classical stressors as infection and exposure to low temperatures. For example, Barnett (1958) found enlarged adrenals among wild rats which were subjected to attack by other rats in the laboratory. However, the experience of being attacked was not necessary for this physiological response, as the aggressors showed much the same changes as the victims. In fact Archer (1969) reported heightened adrenocortical activity among individually caged mice simply as a result of their being housed next to other mice, without actual physical contact. If …

The Communication Of Play Intention: Are Play Signals Functional?, Marc Bekoff

Sentience Collection

No abstract provided.