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Cortés B, Fidalgo A, Díaz S, Abáigar T. Agonistic interactions and social behaviors in the Saharan Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas neglecta): Using social network analysis to evaluate relationships and social structure in captive male groups. Zoo Biol 2024; 43:224-235. [PMID: 38318958 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Social interactions, including agonistic behavior, are very important for the management and welfare of individuals forming groups in captivity. One of the main concerns for the stability and durability of adult male groups is a noticeable level of intraspecific aggression. This study comprises a Social Network Analysis to illustrate social structure in different groups of captive Saharan Dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas neglecta). Our main objectives were to examine the relationship between agonistic, affiliative, and association networks and their reciprocity, assessing also whether the agonistic networks can conform to a linear dominance hierarchy. For these purposes, we recorded the behavior of 23 adult males organized in five herds, three composed only of Saharan Dorcas gazelle males and two mixed herds in which there were also Mhorr gazelle males (Nanger dama mohor). Observations were carried out during 295 h through scan sampling. We found no correlation between the affiliative and association networks in any group, although there was a significant correlation between the agonistic and association networks in mixed-species groups which was not present in single-species groups. Overall, there was no consistent reciprocity in either affiliative nor agonistic networks and none of the agonistic networks showed a linear structure. These results indicate that affiliative behavior in Saharan Dorcas gazelles offers distinctive and valuable information about the bonds between individuals, however, their dominance structure is far more complex than previously thought. As information provided by affiliative and proximity behaviors is different in this species, we suggest considering affiliative interactions to stablish affinity between individuals. Evaluating different social behaviors and not only agonistic interactions in later studies, is also recommended to develop a more accurately daily management in zoos that guarantee group stability and individuals' welfare, which will improve the conservation of captive populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Cortés
- Desertification and Geomorphology Department, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas-CSIC, Almería, Spain
| | - Ana Fidalgo
- Department of Biological and Health psychology, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Díaz
- Department of Biological and Health psychology, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Abáigar
- Desertification and Geomorphology Department, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas-CSIC, Almería, Spain
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Bernátková A, Oyunsaikhan G, Šimek J, Komárková M, Ceacero F. Social networks of reintroduced Przewalski's horses in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia). Curr Zool 2024; 70:182-194. [PMID: 38726256 PMCID: PMC11078051 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Analyzing social networks is a powerful tool for understanding the ecology of social species. While most studies focus on the role of each group member, few compare groups with different characteristics. The current population of Przewalski's horses Equus ferus przewalskii at the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia) includes groups of wild-born and captive-bred individuals with different experiences with the area (acclimatizing, long-term reintroduced, and wild-born), therefore serving as an ideal natural behavioral lab. We filmed 11 groups for 141.5 hours in summer 2018 (July), late spring 2019 (May, June), and autumn 2019 (September, October). Affiliative and agonistic interactions were recorded, and social networks were created. We tested the influence of origin, experience, season, sex, age, relative time belonging to the group, relatedness, and dominance rank on different network indices at the individual and group levels. We found that groups with greater experience in the area are generally better connected than members of the newly formed groups. However, these strong networks were created by wild-born individuals with very low interaction rates. On the contrary, inexperienced groups composed of captive-bred individuals displayed many interactions but created weak social networks. The results show a trend of behavioral transition from acclimatizing through long-term reintroduced to wild-born groups, supporting that the newly formed groups of released Przewalski's horses need time to display the typical social behavior patterns of wild-born individuals. Long-term monitoring of released Przewalski's horses is recommended to promote the success of this reintroduction program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bernátková
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jaroslav Šimek
- Zoo Praha, U Trojského zámku 120/3, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Francisco Ceacero
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
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3
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Leeds A, Kakule D, Stalter L, Mbeke JK, Fawcett K. Group structure and individual relationships of sanctuary-living Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295561. [PMID: 38232054 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The study of individual social relationships and group structure provides insights into a species' natural history and can inform management decisions for animals living in human care. The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) center provides permanent sanctuary for a group of 14 Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri), a critically endangered and poorly studied subspecies of the genus gorilla, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We monitored the association patterns of the gorillas at GRACE over eight months and here describe their individual relationships and group structure via multiple social network statistics. The group was highly connected but associations between individuals were weak on average. Social network metrics describe that an adult female was the most gregarious and socially central individual within the group. In fact, adult females were the most gregarious and socially central on average. Group level association patterns were significantly correlated over the study period and across observation types, suggesting the group was socially stable during the eight month study period. The data collected in this study were done so by GRACE caregivers as part of their daily husbandry routine and provided important insights into this group's behavior, ultimately informing on their care, welfare and future release considerations. The methodological approaches implemented here are easily scalable to any primate sanctuary or care facility seeking to use data to inform husbandry and management procedures. Lastly, our study is the first social network analysis to be conducted on Grauer's gorillas and provides tentative insights into the behavior of this poorly studied subspecies. Though more research is needed to evaluate if the findings here are reflective of this subspecies' natural history or the idiosyncrasies of the group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Leeds
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
| | - Dalmas Kakule
- Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, Kasugho, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Laura Stalter
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jackson K Mbeke
- Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, Kasugho, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Katie Fawcett
- Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, Kasugho, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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4
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Johnson T, Pilleboue E, Herbrich M, Garine E, Sueur C. Management of Social Behaviour of Domestic Yaks in Manang, Nepal: An Etho-Ethnographic Study. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020248. [PMID: 36670788 PMCID: PMC9854466 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Herdsmen use different techniques, as per varying geographies and cultures, to keep the cohesion within herds and avoid animals getting lost or predated. However, there is no study on the social behaviour of yaks and herdsmen management practices. Therefore, this ethology study was initiated by ethnographic inquiries. In Manang, the success of the shepherd is dictated by his personal attribute of 'Khula man' or open-heartedness. This attribute refers to good intentions and emotions such as empathy, which allow the shepherd to focus more on others than on himself. This cultural way of assessing the skills required to become a successful and knowledgeable shepherd guided us to study the effect of cultural values on the herd's social behaviour. We collected data from two herds living at the same settlement (Yak kharka, 4100 m altitude, Nepal) by equipping them with loggers. One of the herdsmen used the tether rope while the other one did not. Moreover, the Thaku herd had a more proactive shepherd than the Phurba one. In each herd, 17 animals were equipped with one Actigraph wgt3x-BT to measure activity using an accelerometer and spatial associations using a proximity recorder. One of the herds was equipped with GPS (N = 11) as well. Using GPS locations and activity, we showed that the two herds were cohesive and synchronised their activities but the Thaku herd (tether rope herd) was more cohesive than the Phurba herd based on the Actigraph signals. The shepherds also have personal knowledge of the social relationships of individual animals in their herds and use these relationships to keep the group cohesive and to manage cattle well.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Pilleboue
- IPHC, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Maxime Herbrich
- IPHC, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Eric Garine
- UMR Lesc, Université Paris Nanterre, 92000 Nanterre, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- IPHC, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
- ANTHROPO-LAB, ETHICS EA 7446, Université Catholique de Lille, 59000 Lille, France
- Correspondence:
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Lee VE, Arnott G, Turner SP. Social behavior in farm animals: Applying fundamental theory to improve animal welfare. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:932217. [PMID: 36032304 PMCID: PMC9411962 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.932217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental understanding of behavior is essential to improving the welfare of billions of farm animals around the world. Despite living in an environment managed by humans, farm animals are still capable of making important behavioral decisions that influence welfare. In this review, we focus on social interactions as perhaps the most dynamic and challenging aspects of the lives of farm animals. Social stress is a leading welfare concern in livestock, and substantial variation in social behavior is seen at the individual and group level. Here, we consider how a fundamental understanding of social behavior can be used to: (i) understand agonistic and affiliative interactions in farm animals; (ii) identify how artificial environments influence social behavior and impact welfare; and (iii) provide insights into the mechanisms and development of social behavior. We conclude by highlighting opportunities to build on previous work and suggest potential fundamental hypotheses of applied relevance. Key areas for further research could include identifying the welfare benefits of socio–positive interactions, the potential impacts of disrupting important social bonds, and the role of skill in allowing farm animals to navigate competitive and positive social interactions. Such studies should provide insights to improve the welfare of farm animals, while also being applicable to other contexts, such as zoos and laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E. Lee
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Victoria E. Lee
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Simon P. Turner
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Brambilla A, von Hardenberg A, Canedoli C, Brivio F, Sueur C, Stanley CR. Long term analysis of social structure: evidence of age‐based consistent associations in male Alpine ibex. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Brambilla
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Alpine Wildlife Research Center, Gran Paradiso National Park Torino Italy
| | - Achaz von Hardenberg
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Chester Chester UK
| | - Claudia Canedoli
- Dept of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Milano Bicocca Milano Italy
| | | | - Cédric Sueur
- Univ. de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178 Strasbourg France
- Inst. Universitaire de France, Saint‐Michel 103 Paris France
| | - Christina R. Stanley
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Chester Chester UK
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Glucocorticoids of European Bison in Relation to Their Status: Age, Dominance, Social Centrality and Leadership. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12070849. [PMID: 35405836 PMCID: PMC8996974 DOI: 10.3390/ani12070849] [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: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This study quantified glucocorticoids in faeces of wild European bison and correlated it to different aspects of social status (leadership, age as a proxy of experience, dominance, social centrality) in order to better understand social mechanisms in this endangered species. Measurement of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites could thus be a valuable tool to follow and improve the adaptation and the welfare of herds in the semi-wild and in captivity by long-term following states of animals and changing conditions, according to them. Abstract Stress is the body’s response to cope with the environment and generally better survive unless too much chronic stress persists. While some studies suggest that it would be more stressful to be the dominant individual of the group, others support the opposite hypothesis. Several variables can actually affect this relationship, or even cancel it. This study therefore aims to make the link between social status and the basal level of stress of 14 wild European bison (Bison bonasus, L. 1758) living together. We collected faeces and measured the faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM). We showed that FGM is linked to different variables of social status of European bison, specifically age, dominance rank, eigenvector centrality but also to interactions between the variables. Preferential leaders in bison, i.e., the older and more dominant individuals which are more central ones, are less stressed compared to other group members. Measurement of such variables could thus be a valuable tool to follow and improve the conservation of species by collecting data on FGM and other social variables and adapt group composition or environmental conditions (e.g., supplement in food) according to the FGM concentration of herd individuals.
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Stress hormone level and the welfare of captive European bison (Bison bonasus): the effects of visitor pressure and the social structure of herds. Acta Vet Scand 2021; 63:24. [PMID: 34112211 PMCID: PMC8193117 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-021-00589-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Captive European bison (Bison bonasus) play an active role in conservation measures for this species; this includes education, which may conflict with these animals’ welfare. The effect of the presence of visitors on the welfare of captive animals can be negative, positive or neutral. However, the response of a given species to visitors is difficult to predict, since even closely related species display varying levels of tolerance to captivity. The aim of the study was to compare immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels (regarded as an indicator of the level of physiological stress) in groups of captive European bison that differed in terms of their social structure and the level of visitor pressure. The second aim was to determine if there was a correlation between intestinal parasitic burden and immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels. Results Immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels were not influenced by sex or age. However, study site and the interaction between study site and visitor pressure were statistically significant. European bison in one enclosure presented higher levels of immunoreactive fecal cortisol on weekdays than at weekends. In the other two study sites, the levels did not differ between weekdays and weekends. No correlation was found between parasitological infestation and immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels. Conclusions Measurement of fecal cortisol metabolites could be a valuable method for further research into the welfare of European bison in captivity. More subtle factors such as individual animal characteristics, feeding systems, and the arrangement of enclosures can be of great importance in terms of the effect of visitors on animals. The results of this study can be used in guidelines for the management of European bison populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13028-021-00589-9.
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Wyman MT, Pinter-Wollman N, Mooring MS. Trade-offs between fighting and breeding: a social network analysis of bison male interactions. J Mammal 2021; 102:504-519. [PMID: 34121954 PMCID: PMC8189686 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In most polygynous species, males compete for access to females using agonistic interactions to establish dominance hierarchies. Typically, larger and stronger males become more dominant and thus gain higher mating and reproductive success over subordinate males. However, there is an inherent trade-off between time and energy invested in dominance interactions versus courtship and mating activities. Individuals may overcome this trade-off by selectively engaging in more effective mating tactics. North American bison (Bison bison) are a species of conservation concern that exhibit female-defense polygyny with two predominant mating tactics: (1) tending individual females; or (2) challenging tending males as a satellite and then mating opportunistically. Here, we use social network analysis to examine the relationship between position in the agonistic interaction network of bison males and their mating, reproductive success, and reproductive tactics and effort. To assess the potential for social network analysis to generate new insights, we compare male (node) centrality in the interaction network with traditional David's score and Elo-rating dominance rankings. Local and global node centrality and dominance rankings were positively associated with prime-aged, heavy males with the most mating success and offspring sired. These males invested more effort in the "tending" tactic versus the "satellite" tactic, and they tended more females for longer periods during peak rut, when most females were receptive. By engaging in the most effective mating tactic, dominant males may mitigate the trade-off between allocating time and energy to agonistic interactions that establish dominance, versus courtship and mating. While less dominant males participated more in the alternative mating tactic, network analysis demonstrated that they were still important to the interaction network on both a local and global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan T Wyman
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Mooring
- Department of Biology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA, USA
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Rat M, Mathe‐Hubert H, McKechnie AE, Sueur C, Cunningham SJ. Extreme and variable environmental temperatures are linked to reduction of social network cohesiveness in a highly social passerine. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Rat
- FitzPatrick Inst. of African Ornithology, DST‐NRF Centre of Excellence, Univ. of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
| | - Hugo Mathe‐Hubert
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology and Inst. of Integrative Biology ETH Switzerland
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Lab. Techniques de l'Ingénierie Médical et de la Complexité ‐ Informatique, Mathématiques et Applications, Grenoble ((TIMC‐IMAG) Grenoble France
| | - Andrew E. McKechnie
- FitzPatrick Inst. of African Ornithology, DST‐NRF Centre of Excellence, Dept of Zoology and Entomology, Univ. of Pretoria Hatfield South Africa
- South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology, South African National Biodiversity Inst. Pretoria South Africa
| | - Cedric Sueur
- Univ. de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR Strasbourg France
- Inst. Universitaire de France Paris France
| | - Susan J. Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Inst. of African Ornithology, DST‐NRF Centre of Excellence, Univ. of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
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12
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Guerrero TP, Fickel J, Benhaiem S, Weyrich A. Epigenomics and gene regulation in mammalian social systems. Curr Zool 2020; 66:307-319. [PMID: 32440291 PMCID: PMC7233906 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social epigenomics is a new field of research that studies how the social environment shapes the epigenome and how in turn the epigenome modulates behavior. We focus on describing known gene-environment interactions (GEIs) and epigenetic mechanisms in different mammalian social systems. To illustrate how epigenetic mechanisms integrate GEIs, we highlight examples where epigenetic mechanisms are associated with social behaviors and with their maintenance through neuroendocrine, locomotor, and metabolic responses. We discuss future research trajectories and open questions for the emerging field of social epigenomics in nonmodel and naturally occurring social systems. Finally, we outline the technological advances that aid the study of epigenetic mechanisms in the establishment of GEIs and vice versa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania P Guerrero
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, Freiburg, D-79085, Germany
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
| | - Sarah Benhaiem
- Department Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
| | - Alexandra Weyrich
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
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Tsiobani ET, Yiakoulaki MD, Hasanagas ND, Antoniou IE. Proximity patterns in water buffaloes' activities on pasture. Arch Anim Breed 2020; 63:19-29. [PMID: 32166109 PMCID: PMC7053511 DOI: 10.5194/aab-63-19-2020] [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: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Water buffaloes are considered social animals and perform several activities on pasture, such as grazing, moving, standing, ruminating, wallowing, lying, and drinking. However, the way these animals form their social structure in the herd during each one of these activities is still unknown. Literature for water buffaloes has focused mainly on their productive characteristics, impact of grazing on wetlands and behavior during grazing but failed to address the way these animals form their social organization during their activities on pasture. In this study, the tools of social network analysis are used to analyze, detect, and depict the proximity patterns in water buffaloes' activities on pasture and the effect of their age and gender on them. We describe and interpret a series of global and local network indices, and show that the water buffaloes differentiate their social structure in their activities on pasture and that the animals' age and gender affect their interacting patterns, and provide a framework for the application of social network analysis on grazing animals' social behavioral studies. We expect that this framework could be used in future research to provide information regarding the social structure of other kinds of animals that graze in different forage and climatic environments and help animal breeders to improve their management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni T. Tsiobani
- Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Faculty of
Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria D. Yiakoulaki
- Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Faculty of
Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikolaos D. Hasanagas
- University Forest Administration, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and
Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124
Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis E. Antoniou
- Department of Statistics and Operational Research, School of
Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki,
Greece
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14
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Sosa SO, Pelé M, Debergue É, Kuntz C, Keller B, Robic F, Siegwalt-Baudin F, Richer C, Ramos A, Sueur C. Impact of Group Management and Transfer on Individual Sociality in Highland Cattle ( Bos taurus). Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:183. [PMID: 31245398 PMCID: PMC6581677 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The sociality of cattle facilitates the maintenance of herd cohesion and synchronization, making these species the ideal choice for domestication as livestock for humans. However, livestock populations are not self-regulated, and farmers transfer individuals across different groups. Individuals consequently have to adapt to different group compositions during their lives rather than choose their own herd mates, as they would do in the wild. These changes may lead to social instability and stress, entailing potentially negative effects on animal welfare. In this study, we assess how the transfer of Highland cattle (Bos taurus) impacts individual and group social network measures. Four groups with nine different compositions and 18 individual transfers were studied to evaluate 1) the effect of group composition on individual social centralities and 2) the effect of group composition changes on these centralities. This study reveals that the relative stability of dyadic spatial relationships between changes in group composition or enclosure is due to the identities of transferred individuals more than the quantity of individuals that are transferred. Older cattle had higher network centralities than other individuals. The centrality of individuals was also affected by their sex and the number of familiar individuals in the group. This study reveals the necessity of understanding the social structure of a group to predict social instability following the transfer of individuals between groups. The developing of guidelines for the modification of group composition could improve livestock management and reduce stress for the animals concerned.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Pelé
- Ethobiosciences, Research and Consultancy Agency in Animal Well-Being and Behaviour, Strasbourg, France
| | - Élise Debergue
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Kuntz
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Blandine Keller
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Florian Robic
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Camille Richer
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Amandine Ramos
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
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