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110 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What determines behavior? |
-- environment -- genetics -- nature AND nurture |
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Why is equine behavior relevant to veterinary medicine? |
-- safety -- professionalism and client confidence -- medical problems >> cause or effect |
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What is contactual behavior?
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-- affection -- protection |
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What is ingestive behavior? What does this comprise for horses? |
-- grazing animal (18h/day) -- may see tail chewing, chewing bark -- animals stuck in stall may be predisposed to injury |
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What is eliminative behavior? What does this mean for horses? |
-- urination or defecation -- horses stop to urinate/defecate -- defecating on the move is a learned behavior |
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Coprophagia behavior? |
-- parasites/deworming indicated -- normal for foals to eat mother's poop |
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Sexual behavior: mares in heat? |
-- may see signs of colic or urine scalding during ovulation (q 21d) |
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Sexual behavior: males? |
-- geldings can still exhibit sexual behavior >> learned behavior >> tease, mount, "have girlfriends" |
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What is epimeletic behavior? |
-- social grooming: back scratching, fly swishing -- herd animals >> need friends |
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What is et-epimeletic behavior? |
-- vocal -- buddy system -- food |
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What is allelomimetic behavior? |
-- mimicry -- e.g. wood chewing, hard catches, running -- horses watch each other! -- start with the well-behaved horses! |
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What is equine investigative behavior? |
-- can't resist smelling, listening, touching, tasting -- overreact to sudden movement/sounds |
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Agonistic behavior of horses? |
-- aggressive (toward people >> abnormal) -- submission -- flight > fight |
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Dominance behavior of horses? |
-- horses have a pecking order >> aggression toward new horse is typical -- stallions/boss mares in charge -- dependent on age/territory/injury |
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The horse is a _____ species. |
-- prey |
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Horse vision? |
-- good distance vision -- poor depth perception -- wide range of monocular vision -- very narrow range of binocular vision >> only depth perception directly in front >> blind spot behind horse |
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Equine capacity for intelligence? |
-- not a problem-solver -- not much reasoning ability -- quick learner -- high capacity for responding to weak stimuli -- "In general, the horse does not logically decide what is desired, but responds to stimuli or cues" |
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Signs of aggression? |
-- pinning ears -- head threat: extension of head and neck -- bite threat: extension of head with teeth bared -- kicking (can be playful -- look for other signs) -- tail swishing and hopping -- cow kick |
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Stallions display sexual aggression when? |
-- before or during breeding |
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Mares display sexual aggression when? |
-- can occur in heat or not in heat -- usually caused by improper management |
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What is maternal aggression? |
-- mare aggression toward new foal >> usually maiden mare >> pain, fear, lack of experience -- always catch mare before working with foal -- protective: mare defends foal ("foal proud") |
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Bad habits that horses develop? |
-- cribbing -- wood chewing -- weaving -- head shaking |
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What is cribbing? What is its prevalence? |
-- crib-biting, wind sucking -- release of endorphins -- very little air travels down esophagus (burp) -- prevalence: 5-20% of all horses |
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Causes of cribbing? |
-- management and handling -- restrictive confinement without allowing communication (stress and excitement) -- feeding concentrates post-weaning increases cribbing 4x -- increased with box stall, non-straw bedding, insufficient roughage -- could have genetic element |
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Effects of cribbing? |
-- intermittent colic (gastric ulceration?) -- assoc. with entrapment of small intestine within epiploic foramen -- inc. restlessness >> difficult to maintain BCS -- significant tooth wear of upper incisors -- damage to barn/stalls (expensive) |
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Treatment of cribbing? |
-- dec. concentrates, inc. forages -- dec. stall time, inc. pasture/turnout time -- establish routine exercise -- treat gastric ulcers if needed -- acupuncture? -- environment adjustment (noxious agents, padded cribbing boards) |
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Are cribbing collars or electric shock collars recommended by equine behaviorists for treatment of cribbing? |
-- NO |
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Surgical treatment for cribbing? |
-- laser-assisted modified Forssel's -- remove section of ventral br. spinal accessory nerve and section of paired omohyoideus and sternothyroideus mm. -- 33% fix, 33% prevents worse, 33% no change |
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Wood chewing is not isolated to stalled horses. T/F? |
-- true -- but being stalled may aggravate condition |
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When is wood chewing more common? |
-- nighttime |
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Wood chewing is thought to be? |
-- an attempt to normalize gut function (fiber) |
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Effects of wood chewing? |
-- colic >> impaction (intestinal obstruction) -- precede cribbing -- toxic plants, splinters |
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Treatment of wood chewing? |
-- feed accordingly and improve gut function -- environmental management |
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What is weaving/pacing? |
-- stall weaving and box walking -- 1-9% of horses -- similarly hereditary influence as cribbing -- once either a weaver or box walker, much more likely to perform the other |
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Causes of weaving/pacing? |
-- boredom and frustration -- restricted contact with visual access to others -- exercise deprivation -- highly predictable management routine -- more common when not using straw bedding -- initial traumatizing stressful event >> weaning, begin training, change of ownership/location, drastic dec. in exercise |
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Effects of weaving/pacing? |
-- often thought to compromise performance or predispose to injury but no supporting data -- increased restlessness >> difficulty maintaining body weight -- enhance anxiety and nervous disposition |
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Treatment of weaving/pacing? |
-- break the routine (management adjustment) -- install a mirror or see other horses |
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Physical barriers not very effective for treatment of weaving/pacing. T/F? |
-- true! |
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Trailer problems with horses? |
-- resistance to loading/unloading -- physical force will immediately cause a negative assoc. >> leads to more resistance -- natural defensive behavior |
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Causes of trailer problems? Effects? |
-- fear: previous trauma, claustrophobia -- natural defensive behavior/self preservation -- insufficient training -- poor driving makes balance difficult >> sudden braking, sharp turns, rapid accel. -- elevated stress and fear for horses -- stress for owner |
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Treatment of trailer problems? |
-- leading must be understood >> excessive pull evokes counter-pull response -- developed trust between horse and handler -- time, patience, consistency -- consider: appropriate size trailer, brighten interior, begin feeding in trailer (comfort/reward), add bedding/manure from stall, have another horse in trailer |
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For treatment of trailer problems, encourage owners to? |
-- start early -- other techniques: constant tapping on rear, lock arms and pull? Need to leave off immediately if horse starts to move. |
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Various training methods for horses? |
-- imprinting -- habituation -- desensitization -- counter-conditioning |
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What is imprinting? |
-- acquisition of behavior in many animal spp. -- animals form strong and lasting attachments during critical period in early life -- important for normal social development -- occurs instinctively to mother, food, environment -- first described by Konrad Lorenz (ducklings) |
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Imprint training of foals: advantages and disadvantages? |
-- encouraging more contact between horse and human helps strengthen human-animal bond -- over-handling could be detrimental >> spoiled or less respectful -- these foals will still behave like horses >> manage expectations |
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What is habituation? |
-- repeated presentation of a stimulus by itself causes a decrease in the response (full stimulus) |
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What is desensitization? |
-- systemic, gradual introduction to a stimulus (low level stimulus increased gradually) |
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What is counter-conditioning? |
-- associate a stimulus with a positive reward |
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What is the most important thing to remember about behavior training? |
-- changing animal behavior takes time and understanding |
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Bovine behavior that has genetic influence? |
-- genetics >> color of coat >> udder conformation >> natural attitude -- intermediate traits >> milk production >> calf nursing/"milk letdown" |
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Environmental aspects that influence bovine behavior? |
-- nutritional and her management -- housing -- social interaction |
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Behavioral assessment requires?
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-- practical experience |
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Basic principles of cattle behavior?
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-- cattle are very social -- cattle show signs of stress if separated >> inc. HR, vocalization, defecation -- cows form groups of adults + calves -- bulls form separate groups >> intermittently interact with cow-calf groups |
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What is a flight zone? What is it affected by? |
-- cow space bubble (before they'll run away) -- affected by size of animal enclosure, previous contact with people -- blind spot directly behind them is gray area |
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How do you influence a cow to move forward? Backward? |
-- forward: enter flight zone behind point of balance (cow's shoulder), move back from cow -- backward: move in front of point of balance |
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Aggressive behavior of cattle? |
-- lowering the head, head butting the head or body, head to head pushing -- bulls vocalize, paw and rub head on ground, posture to look bigger |
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Affectionate behavior of cattle? |
-- social licking, usually directed at neck region -- grooming partnerships with specific individuals |
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Failure of maternal behavior results in? |
-- death of offspring -- loss of reproductive season -- profit loss |
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Maternal behavior includes? |
-- parturient behavior -- recognition of offspring |
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Parturient behavior includes? |
-- precalving: preparation of birth place, inc. restlessness, separation from group, swelling of the udder/teat -- parturition: rupture of amnion (1-4h), expulsion of the fetus (1-2h), expulsion of placenta (6-12h) |
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How do cows recognize their offspring? |
-- auditory, visual, and olfactory input -- occurs over short period of time in cattle -- mothers learn to recognize newborn -- some cows may eat placenta (ew) |
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Abnormal mothering behavior: offspring stealing?
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Offspring stealing ("mismothering") -- observed when lg number of cows give birth at the same time -- one cow (hasn't calved yet) may steal calf -- more common in dairy herds -- related to calving difficulty |
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How to avoid offspring stealing? |
-- provide enough space for mother to isolate herself with calf -- consider calving pens -- cull if frequent occurrence |
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What is fostering? |
-- ability of cow to accept "alien" offspring -- best results if done during period of maternal responsiveness -- give alien offspring characteristics of dam's own offspring (birth fluids, skin grafting) -- create bonding with time |
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Indications for fostering? |
-- cow loses calf at birth -- calf loses mother -- mother unable to raise both twins |
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Normal calf behavior? |
-- suckling behavior starts 2-5h after birth -- suckling is most intense as soon as calf stands >> occurs most commonly in front teats -- intensity/ability dec. if difficult delivery -- vision, olfactory, and vocal senses involved in cow and calf ID >> cows will groom their calves |
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Abnormal calf/heifer behavior? |
-- intersucking (sucking on one another) >> common in young ruminants >> observed mostly in young animals taken from mothers early and reared artificially >> suckle ears, umbilicus, udder >> inc. risk of mastitis |
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Management of intersucking? |
-- separation of animal -- application of nose ring -- culling |
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Female bovine sexual behavior?
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-- controlled by physiologic (hormones, pheromones) and psychologic processes involving neurological and endocrine systems |
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The period between ovulations is separated into which phases? |
-- luteal phase: begins at start of ovultation, ends with rapid decline of progesterone and initiation of fast growing follicles (16-18 days) -- follicular phase: regression of corpora lutea and rapid development of follicles until ovulation (3-5 days) |
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Female bovine behavior assoc. with follicular phase?
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-- female readiness to copulate -- release of pheromones -- includes receptive stage of estrus period >> standing estrus |
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Additional behavior signs observe prior, during, and after estrus? |
-- resting chin on other cow -- licking/sniffing of vulva or urine of other cows -- bellowing -- clear vaginal discharge |
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How long does standing estrus last? |
-- 10-18h |
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Factors affecting estrus behavior? |
-- environmental temperature and humidity >> heat stress with temp between 80-90F, with humidity between 50-90% -- heat stress shortens duration of estrus, reduces intensity of estrus behavior, reduces reproductive efficiency |
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Heat detection rate and pregnancy rates for an Oregon dairy farm were found to decline in the hotter months of the year (April - September). T/F? |
-- true |
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How can you decrease the impact of heat stress on sexual behavior? |
-- fans -- misters -- shade |
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How does nutrition impact estrus behavior? |
-- poor nutrition causes delayed postpartum estrus and delayed resumption of cyclicity |
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Average time until first estrus post-calving? |
-- dairy cows: 12-42 days -- beef cows: 36-92 days |
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Other factors that affect estrus? |
-- grouping with other open cows -- housing, pasture condition -- slippery floors -- excessive noise -- overcrowding |
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How do cystic ovaries present behaviorally? |
-- anestrus -- nymphomania (comes into heat every 3-5 days) >> commonly found by breeder |
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Male sexual behavior includes? |
-- male libido -- mating competence -- fertility (semen quality) >> basis of success of any breeding program |
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How does dominance influence male sexual behavior? |
-- dominance has greater effect on mating success -- more pronounced effect in groups with different age bulls -- older bulls always dominant young bulls |
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Dominance is not related to fertility. T/F? |
-- true |
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How does social environment influence male sexual behavior? |
-- enhancement of sexual performance by observation of other bulls engaging in mounting behavior -- female-female mounting in sexually active groups may function to attract and stimulate males |
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How does health affect male sexual behavior? |
-- acidosis/lameness -- pink eye -- perform breeding soundness exam (BSE) prior to breeding season |
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What is buller-steer syndrome?
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-- common in feedlots -- buller-steer will stand for mounting by others -- does not seem to be associated with rank -- may be due to boredom -- approx. 25 of steers in feedlot situation are buller steers |
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What should be done with a buller steer? |
-- segregated -- treated for injury/illness |
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Methods to monitor behavior of sick animals? |
-- challenge assessment (stress, pain, disease?) -- subjective monitoring: Clinical Illness Scores >> variation among evaluators >> requires continuous training >> improved evaluation if phys info included, e.g. temperature -- objective monitoring: pedometers, feed intake using RFID, rumen telemetry |
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Locomotion score of 1? |
-- walks normally with back level -- long, confident strides |
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Locomotion score of 2? |
Mildly Lame -- stands with flat back -- arches back when walking -- gait slightly abnormal |
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Locomotion score of 3? |
Moderately Lame -- stands and walks with an arched back and short strides with one or more legs -- slight sinking of dew-claws in limb opposite to the affected limb may be observed |
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Locomotion score of 4? |
Lame -- arched back standing and walking -- favoring one or more limbs but can still bear some weight on them -- sinking of dew-claws evident in opposite limb |
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Locomotion score of 5? |
Severely Lame -- pronounced arching of back -- reluctant to move -- almost complete weight transfer off affected limb |
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If rectal temperature is <103F and animal looks okay with normal appetite? |
-- no tx -- monitor |
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If rectal temperature is <103F and animal looks sick and isn't eating? |
-- supportive therapy -- energy precursors -- calcium source -- uterine contractors |
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If rectal temperature is > or = 103F, but animal looks okay and is eating? |
-- no treatment -- continue monitoring -- consider antibiotics? |
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If rectal temperature is > or = 103F, but animal looks sick and is not eating? |
Supportive therapy Antibiotics >> repeat Tx for 3 days |
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Behavior evaluation of sick animals? |
-- attitude, disposition, and temperament -- group and individual -- ability to move, measure gait and posture -- evaluate appetite, feeding abilities of group |
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Define cow comfort. |
--state of ease, free of pain and unpleasant conditions |
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Choices in housing and management do not affect the behavior, health, longevity, and performance of cows. T/F? |
-- FALSE -- definitely DO affect those things |
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Diseases that can cause discomfort for cows? |
-- lameness -- hock and neck injuries -- mastitis -- milk fever -- displaced abomasum |
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Why are comfortable free stalls important? |
-- cows lie down for 60% of the time >> ruminating >> rarely perch or stand idly |
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Idea free stalls should? |
-- have open forward space for normal rising and lying down motions -- no hazards to cause injury or pain -- provides space for all normal resting positions -- allows cow to stand and lie straight |
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Four normal resting positions of cows? |
-- long position: cow resting with head extended forward -- short position: cow resting with head along side, actively sleeping -- narrow position: cow resting on her sternum with her neck in a slight crook and rear legs close to body -- wide/lateral position: cow resting on her side with rear legs extended |
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Idle standing is abnormal in cows. T/F? |
-- TRUE, abnormal behavior -- due to poor stall conformation |
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What is perching? |
-- cow standing with front feet in stall and rear feet in alley -- lack of comfort in those stalls -- also describes cows lying with part of their body in the stall and part in the alley |
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Diagonal standing and lying are normal cow behaviors. T/F? |
-- FALSE -- abnormal behavior -- corner to corner use of stall |
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Is lying backwards in a stall normal? |
-- no -- if you see cow resting with head facing the alley, you know she's avoiding frustrating or painful stall features |
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Normal rising and lying down behaviors? |
-- continuous and in smooth motion -- includes forward lunge and retraction, and a bobbing of the head -- rising begins with front quarters raising slightly, followed by hindquarters |
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Increased defecation indicates? |
-- stress |