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Li C, Chen X, Fang T, Gu X. Do cows with stereotypic tongue-rolling behaviour cope better with their environment? Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1404539. [PMID: 38840632 PMCID: PMC11151878 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1404539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Stereotypic behaviours, especially oral stereotypic behaviours, are frequently expressed in farm animals. Tongue-rolling is the most common oral stereotypic behaviour in dairy cows (Bos taurus). If animals frequently display stereotypic behaviours, this is an indication of poor welfare. It has been suggested that animals express stereotypic behaviours as a way of coping with stress. As a result, animals with stereotypic behaviours may have lower levels of stress hormones than animals without stereotypic behaviours. Methods In this study, 916 Holstein cows in the first lactation were subjected to scan sampling behavioural observations 200 times for 10 days. All cows were assigned to either a stereotypic behaviours group (SB) or a control group (CON). The SB group was further subdivided into a tongue-rolling group (TR) and an other-stereotypic behaviours group (OS). The TR group was also split into an only tongue-rolling group (OTR) and a mixed tongue-rolling and other stereotypic behaviours group (TROS). Some cows in the TR group belonged to an extreme tongue-rolling group (ETR). Hair and saliva samples were collected from 601 cows to test cortisol concentrations and dairy herd improvement (DHI) data were collected from a total of 762 cows. Results There were no differences in hair or saliva cortisol concentrations between the groups (p>0.05), and the frequencies of tongue-rolling were not associated with cortisol concentrations (p>0.05). For DHI in cows, the milk protein percentage (p = 0.028), milk true protein percentage (p = 0.021) and milk crude protein percentage (p = 0.023) of cows in the ETR group were significantly lower than those in the CON group. For cows in ETR group, as the frequencies of tongue-rolling increased, the milk protein percentage (p = 0.034, r = 0.365), milk true protein percentage (p = 0.022, r = 0.393) and milk crude protein percentage (p = 0.035, r = 0.363) increased. Discussion We investigated the relationship between stereotypic behaviours and stress by using a non-invasive sampling method to minimise harm to the cows. We suggest that tongue-rolling may not be a way for cows to cope with stress, at least in terms of cortisol concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xianhong Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Changes in Stereotypies: Effects over Time and over Generations. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192504. [PMID: 36230246 PMCID: PMC9559266 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Herein, we propose that there should be discussion about the function and effects of stereotypies in relation to the time during which they are shown. In the first stages, stereotypies may help animals deal with challenges. However, behavior can potentially alter the brain, impairing its function due the absence of a diverse repertory, and change brain connections, neurophysiology and later neuroanatomy. The neuroanatomical changes in individuals showing stereotypies could be an effect rather than a cause of the stereotypy. As a consequence, studies showing different outcomes for animal welfare from stereotypy expression could be due to variation in a timeline of expression. Stereotypies are widely used as an animal welfare indicator, and their expression can tell us about psychological states. However, there are questions about the longer-term consequences if animals express stereotypies: do the stereotypies help in coping? During the prenatal period, stereotypic behavior expressed by the mother can change the phenotype of the offspring, especially regarding emotionality, one mechanism acting via methylation in the limbic system in the brain. Are individuals that show stereotypies for shorter or longer periods all better adjusted, and hence have better welfare, or is the later welfare of some worse than that of individuals that do not show the behavior? Abstract Stereotypies comprise a wide range of repeated and apparently functionless behaviors that develop in individuals whose neural condition or environment results in poor welfare. While stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare at the time of occurrence, they may have various consequences. Environmental enrichment modifies causal factors and reduces the occurrence of stereotypies, providing evidence that stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare. However, stereotypy occurrence and consequences change over time. Furthermore, there are complex direct and epigenetic effects when mother mammals that are kept in negative conditions do or do not show stereotypies. It is proposed that, when trying to deal with challenging situations, stereotypies might initially help animals to cope. After further time in the conditions, the performance of the stereotypy may impair brain function and change brain connections, neurophysiology and eventually neuroanatomy. It is possible that reported neuroanatomical changes are an effect of the stereotypy rather than a cause.
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McBrayer LD, Orton RW, Kinsey CT, Neel LK. Conservation and Management Strategies Create Opportunities for Integrative Organismal Research. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:509-521. [PMID: 32531064 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation and management activities are geared toward the achievement of particular goals for a specific species, or groups of species, at the population level or higher. Conversely, organismal or functional research is typically organized by hypothesis tests or descriptive work that examines a broader theory studying individual organismal traits. Here, we outline how integrative organismal biologists might conduct mutually beneficial and meaningful research to inform or assist conservation and management biologists. We argue that studies of non-target species are very useful to both groups because non-target species can meet the goals of managers and organismal biologists alike, while also informing the other. We highlight our work on a threatened lizard species' thermal physiology, behavior, and color pattern-all of which are impacted by species management plans for sympatric, threatened, bird species. We show that management practices affect activity time, thermal adaptation, and substrate use, while also altering predation rates, crypsis, ectoparasite load, and sexual coloration in the study species. These case studies exemplify the challenges of conservation and management efforts for threatened or endangered species in that non-target species can be both positively and negatively affected by those efforts. Yet, the collaboration of organismal biologists with conservation and management efforts provides a productive system for mutually informative research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance D McBrayer
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA
| | - Richard W Orton
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, 337 Life Science Building, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Chase T Kinsey
- Department of Biological Sciences, 132 Long Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Lauren K Neel
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
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Martin MS, Owen M, Wintle NJP, Zhang G, Zhang H, Swaisgood RR. Stereotypic behaviour predicts reproductive performance and litter sex ratio in giant pandas. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7263. [PMID: 32350317 PMCID: PMC7190838 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63763-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Breeding and welfare problems confront many conservation breeding programs. Stereotypies-repetitive, unvarying, functionless behaviours -are common abnormal behaviours that often arise in suboptimal conditions. While the role of stereotypies in welfare assessment is well studied, few investigations address the relationship between stereotypic behaviour and reproduction. We examined the correlation between stereotypic behaviour and reproductive performance in 101 giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). High stereotyping males copulated more and produced more cubs, suggesting that highly sexually motivated males were prone to stereotypy but also had high reproductive competence. Female stereotypies were negatively associated with all reproductive measures closely tied to behavioural competence: high stereotyping females were less likely to copulate, less likely to mother-rear cubs, and-probably a result of poor maternal care-had lower cub survival. However, females that exhibited stereotypies were more likely to produce a cub, suggesting stereotypies are tied to behavioural but not physiological competence. High stereotyping female pandas also displayed strong and consistent bias toward production of female offspring while paternal relationship to sex allocation was the reverse. These results are consistent with stress-mediated sex allocation theory. Our findings raise concern about differential reproductive success among high and low stereotyping pandas, and possible genetic adaptation to captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan S Martin
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido, California, 92027, USA.,PDXWildlife, 9233 SW Brier Pl., Portland, OR, 97219, USA
| | - Megan Owen
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido, California, 92027, USA
| | | | - Guiquan Zhang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong, Sichuan, 623006, P.R. China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong, Sichuan, 623006, P.R. China
| | - Ronald R Swaisgood
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido, California, 92027, USA.
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Silber S, Joshi S, Pillay N. Behavioural syndromes in stereotypic striped mice. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Pillay N, Rimbach R. Protein deficiency decreases stereotypic behavior frequency and prevalence and activity in the striped mouse Rhabdomys dilectus chakae. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 60:194-201. [PMID: 29152736 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Diverse motivational triggers, including diet, elicit stereotypic behavior. We investigated whether diets comprised of different protein levels but similar levels of energy were associated with the occurrence of locomotor stereotypies in the striped mouse Rhabdomys dilectus chakae. In a first experiment, 20 stereotypic and 20 non-stereotypic (10 subjects per sex and per group) juvenile (40 days old) subjects were placed on baseline (BP), high (HP) or low protein (LP) diet treatments (120 subjects in total). All subjects initially identified as stereotypic displayed stereotypic behavior in the BP and HP treatments on Days 60-63 and Days 80-83 compared to 35% and 12.5% of LP subjects, respectively. Moreover, LP subjects displayed lower levels of activity and stereotypic behavior than BP and HP subjects. Those identified as non-stereotypic never displayed stereotypy. In a second experiment, 48 individuals, bred and reared on LP and whose parents were stereotypic, were assigned to either HP (13 males, 12 females) or LP (12 males, 11 females) treatments at 50 days of age for 30 days. Stereotypy was three times less likely to occur in the LP than the HP treatment, and activity was greater in LP-HP individuals than LP-LP individuals. In both experiments, LP individuals had the lowest body mass. Striped mice adjusted their behaviors in response to dietary protein levels. Protein deficiency reduced activity and stereotypic behavior and prevalence, possibly related to an energy or neurological deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Rebecca Rimbach
- School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Reproductive performance and weaning success in fur-chewing chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera). Reprod Biol 2014; 14:213-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Benhajali H, Ezzaouia M, Lunel C, Charfi F, Hausberger M. Stereotypic behaviours and mating success in domestic mares. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Tiira K, Hakosalo O, Kareinen L, Thomas A, Hielm-Björkman A, Escriou C, Arnold P, Lohi H. Environmental effects on compulsive tail chasing in dogs. PLoS One 2012; 7:e41684. [PMID: 22844513 PMCID: PMC3406045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder observed both in humans and animals. Examples of Canine Compulsive Disorder (CD) include excessive tail chasing (TC), light/shadow chasing and flank sucking. We performed a questionnaire survey to investigate the characteristics of compulsive (TC) and its possible associations with environmental correlates and personality in a pet population of 368 dogs from four dog breeds. We observed an early onset of TC at 3–6 months of age and a large variation in TC frequency in all breeds, with an overrepresentation of milder cases. Almost half of the TC dogs showed lowered responsiveness during bouts and displayed also other types of compulsions more often than the controls. Interestingly, dogs that received dietary supplements, especially vitamins and minerals, expressed less TC compared to dogs that did not receive any supplements. Neutered females had less TC, suggesting an influence of ovarian hormones on TC. Tail chasers were shyer and had separated earlier from their mothers than the controls. Finally, our genetic study did not find an association between TC and CDH2, a locus previously associated with the canine flank sucking compulsion. In conclusion, the early-onset and the variable nature of the repetitive behaviour, which is affected by environmental factors such as micronutrients, neutering and maternal care, share several similar components between canine and human compulsions and supports canine TC as a model for human OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katriina Tiira
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- The Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Osmo Hakosalo
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- The Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lauri Kareinen
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- The Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne Thomas
- Antagene, Animal Genetics Laboratory, Lyon, France
| | - Anna Hielm-Björkman
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Paul Arnold
- Program in Genetics and Genomic Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hannes Lohi
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- The Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail:
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Hippocampal neurogenesis increase with stereotypic behavior in mink (Neovison vison). Behav Brain Res 2012; 229:359-64. [PMID: 22285416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2011] [Revised: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED We investigated the hypothesis that performance of abnormal behavior is a stress response concurrent with reduced cell formation in the hippocampal region of the brain, using groups of adult female American mink with high occurrence of stereotypic behavior (STEREO, n=12), high occurrence of fur-chewing behavior (FURCHEW, n=12), or without abnormal behavior (CONTROL, n=12). Following repeated injections of Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) as a marker of dividing cells, animals were sacrificed and brain tissue fixated. After brain sectioning and a mink-adapted free-floating BrdU/NeuN doublestaining protocol, we counted the number of cells formed in the subgranular zone (SGZ) and the granular cell layer (GCL) of the dentate gyrus (DG) in the mink hippocampus. RESULTS (1) proliferation of cells in the SGZ and the GCL of the ventral hippocampal DG was demonstrated for the first time in adult mink, (2) with no significant difference between the experimental groups ( CONTROL 1509 (191.1); FURCHEW: 1377 (199.8); STEREO: 1968 (288.8); P=0.18), (3) however, with a positive correlation between the amount of stereotypic behavior performed and the number of new hippocampal cells formed (P=0.016). In conclusion, our results do not support that abnormal behavior in mink is concurrent with reduced hippocampal neurogenesis. On the contrary, cell proliferation increased with increasing performance of stereotypic behavior, being of an active/locomotory nature in mink.
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Jones MA, Mason G, Pillay N. Early environmental enrichment protects captive-born striped mice against the later development of stereotypic behaviour. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Correlates of birth origin effects on the development of stereotypic behaviour in striped mice, Rhabdomys. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Early social experience influences the development of stereotypic behaviour in captive-born striped mice Rhabdomys. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2009.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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