Affiliation:
1. Fort Valley State University
Abstract
Abstract
Social isolation can be stressful to goats when they are separated from the herd for veterinary care or prior to slaughter. This experiment was conducted to determine the behavior responses in goats during isolation with or without visual contact with conspecifics. Forty-eight uncastrated male Spanish goats (8-mo old) were randomly assigned to one of four isolation (TRT) pens (1.5 x 1.5 m) with metal grill panels: (i) open grill with no visual contact with conspecifics (IO), (ii) covered panels to prevent visual contact (IC), (iii) covered panels with a 30 cm x 30 cm window on one side to allow visual contact with conspecifics (IW), or (iv) open grill to allow visual contact with conspecifics (IV, control), for 90 min (n = 12 goats/TRT). Behaviors were recorded by four trained individuals. Frequency of vocalization was recorded continuously, and moving, standing, climbing, lying, and visual contact behaviors, in addition to spatial location, were recorded at 5-min intervals, but grouped into 30-min blocks (TIME). The data were analyzed using Friedman’s Two-Way ANOVA by Ranks Test in SAS; however, unranked data means are presented. Both TRT and TIME had significant effects (P < 0.01) on frequency of vocalization, with mean values of 44.1, 16.6, 4.3, and 2.1 (SEM = 4.58), respectively in IO, IC, IW, and IV groups. Vocalization was highest during the first 30-min period and decreased over time with mean frequencies of 26.9, 12.4, and 11.4 (SEM = 2.43), respectively during 30, 60, and 90 min. Frequencies of climbing and lying behaviors were the highest (P < 0.01) in the IC treatment. Goats in IC group also spent more time facing the corner of the pen. The results indicate that goats with no visual contact with conspecifics spend more time vocalizing or trying to escape the pen, which may indicate distress.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Genetics,Animal Science and Zoology,General Medicine,Food Science