Feeding, resting and social behaviour in ewes housed in two different group sizes

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volumn 116, Issue 2-4, 2009, Pages 198-203

  Jørgensen, Grete Helen Meisfjord ^a   Andersen, Inger Lise ^a   Berg, Synne ^a   Bøe, Knut Egil ^a  

^a NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES   (Norway)

Author keywords

Ewes; Feeding; Group size; Queuing; Resting; Synchrony

Indexed keywords

AGGRESSION; COMPARATIVE STUDY; DOMESTIC SPECIES; EXPERIMENTAL STUDY; FEEDING BEHAVIOR; FOOD INTAKE; GROUP SIZE; SHEEP; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR; SYNCHRONY;

OVIS ARIES;

EID: 57749102648     PISSN: 01681591     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2008.08.014     Document Type: Article

References (34)

1. Andersen I.L., and Bøe K.E. Resting pattern and social organisation in goats-the impact of size and organisation of lying space. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 108 (2007) 89-103
2. Andersen I.L., Nævdal E., Bakken M., and Bøe K.E. Aggression and group size in domesticated pigs (Sus scrofa): 'when the winner takes it all and the looser standing small'. Anim. Behav. 68 (2004) 965-975
3. Arnold G.W., and Dudzinski M.L. Ethology of Free-ranging Domestic Animals (1978), Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam 193 pp.
4. Benham P.F.J. Synchronization and behaviour in grazing cattle. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 8 (1982) 403-404
5. Blumstein D.T., Evans C.S., and Daniel J.C. An experimental study of behavioural group size effects in tammar wallabies, Macropus eugenii. Anim. Behav. 58 (1999) 351-360
6. Bøe K.E., Berg S., and Andersen I.L. Resting behaviour and displacements in ewes-effects of reduced lying space and pen shape. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 98 (2006) 249-259
7. Boissy A., and Dumont B. Interactions between social and feeding motivations on the grazing behaviour of herbivores: sheep more easily split into subgroups with family peers. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 79 (2002) 233-245
8. Buchwalder T., and Huber-Eicher B. Effect of group size on aggressive reactions to an introduced conspesific in groups of domestic turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 93 (2005) 251-258
9. Croney C.C., and Newberry R.C. Group size and cognitive processes. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 103 (2007) 215-228
10. Downes S., and Hoefer A.M. Antipredatory behaviour in lizards: interactions between group size and predation risk. Anim. Behav. 67 (2004) 485-492
11. Estevez I., Newberry R.C., and de Reyna L.A. Broiler chickens: a tolerant social system?. Ethologia 5 (1997) 19-29
12. Estevez I., Keeling L.J., and Newberry R.C. Decreasing aggression with increasing group size in young domestic fowl. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 84 (2003) 213-218
13. Estevez I., Andersen I.L., and Nævdal E. Group size, density and social dynamics in farm animals. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 103 (2007) 185-204
14. Færevik G., Andersen I.L., and Bøe K.E. Preferences of sheep for different types of pen flooring. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 90 (2005) 265-276
15. Færevik G., Andersen I.L., Jensen M.B., and Bøe K.E. Increased group size reduces conflicts and strengthens the preferences for familiar group mates after regrouping of weaned dairy calves (Bos taurus). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 108 (2007) 215-228
16. Festa-Bianchet M. Nursing behaviour of bighorn sheep: correlates of ewe age, parasitism, lamb age, birthdate and sex. Anim. Behav. 36 (1988) 1445-1454
17. Fournier F., and Festa-Bianchet M. Social dominance in adult female mountain goats. Anim. Behav. 49 (1995) 1449-1459
18. Grubb P., and Jewell P.A. Social grouping and home range in feral Soay sheep. Symposium of the Zoological Society of London, vol. 18 (1966) 179-210
19. ® System for Univariate and Multivariate Statistics (1994), SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC 552 pp.
20. Hopewell L., Rossiter R., Blower E., Leaver L., and Goto K. Grazing and vigilance by Soay sheep on Lundy island: influence of group size, terrain and the distribution of vegetation. Behav. Proc. 70 (2005) 186-193
21. Hughes B.O., Carmichael N.L., Walker A.W., and Grigor P.N. Low incidence of aggression in large flocks of laying hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 54 (1997) 215-234
22. Kendrick K.M., da Costa A.P., Leigh A.E., Hinton M.R., and Peirce J.W. Sheep don't forget a face. Nature 414 (2001) 165-166
23. Lima S.L., and Dill L.M. Behavioural decisions made under risk of predation: a review and prospectus. Can. J. Zool. 68 (1990) 619-640
24. Lindberg A.C., and Nicol C.J. Space and density effects on group size preferences in laying hens. Br. Poultry Sci. 37 (1996) 709-721
25. Nielsen B., Lawrence A.B., and Whittemore C.T. Effect of group size on feeding behaviour, social behaviour, and performance of growing pigs using single-space feeders. Livest. Prod. Sci. 44 (1995) 73-85
26. Penning P.D., Parsons A.J., and Newman J.A. The effects of group-size on grazing time in sheep. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 37 (1993) 101-109
27. Pulliam H.R. On the advantages of flocking. J. Theor. Biol. 38 (1973) 419-422
28. Pulliam H.R., and Caraco T. Living in groups: is there an optimal group size?. In: Krebs J.R., and Davies N.B. (Eds). Behavioural Ecology (1984), Blackwell Scientific, Oxford 122-147
29. Rifa H. Social facilitation in the horse (Equus caballus). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 25 (1990) 167-176
30. Roberts G. Why individual vigilance declines as group size increases. Anim. Behav. 51 (1996) 1077-1086
31. Rook A.J., and Penning P.D. Synchronisation of eating, ruminating and idling activity by grazing sheep. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 32 (1991) 157-166
32. Sweeting M.P., Houpt C.E., and Houpt K.A. Social facilitation of feeding and time budgets in stabled ponies. J. Anim. Sci. 60 (1985) 369-374
33. Turner S.P., Horgan G.W., and Edwards S.A. Effect of social group size on aggressive behaviour between unacquainted domestic pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 74 (2001) 203-215
34. Woolf A., OShea T., and Gilbert D.L. Movements and behaviour of Bighorn sheep in summer ranges in Yellowstone National Park. J. Wildl. Manag. 34 (1970) 446-450