A Review of the Social Behavior of Feral and Wild Sheep and Goats

Shackleton, D. M.; Shank, Christopher C.

doi:10.2527/jas1984.582500x

Cited by 90 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Conversely, during winter and summer, both goat ecotypes rested less time and less frequently, in agreement with reports by other authors (Arnold and Dudzinski, 1978), who proposed that animals reduce their resting time at relatively high or low temperatures; however our data were exclusively registered during goats' peak activity periods so that conclusions are not definitive on this issue. Feral goats resting time is similar to that of wild goats, but is less frequent, and is a more frequent behaviour in domestic goats (Shackleton and Shank, 1984). The fact that wild goats have shorter resting periods than feral or domestic goats could be associated with the wildness degree.…”

Section: Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…The available literature on the behaviour of goats describes a very similar social behaviour between wild and feral populations (Shackleton and Shank, 1984). Therefore, we would not expect much difference between the behaviour of feral goats and the Majorcan wild goats, but due to different handling both ecotypes receive, their behaviour could be different.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Comparative study of trophic behaviour and herd structure in wild and feral goats living in a Mediterranean island: Management implications

Rivera-Sánchez

Jorge

Baraza

et al. 2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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a b s t r a c tThe aim of this study was to compare the trophic behaviour and the social structure of Majorcan wild goats and feral goats present in the island of Majorca. The former are descendants of an ancestral goat ecotype introduced in the island in the late Neolithic, whereas feral goats come from domestic forms introduced recently from the Iberian Peninsula. The study was conducted in four localities of the Serra de Tramuntana, a mountain range located in the northwest of the island of Majorca. Behavioural data were collected in three seasons, summer, winter and spring of 2011-2013, and when goat activity is at its peak, i.e., 3 h after dawn and before dusk. The following variables were recorded: group composition (males, females, and kids) and activity (feeding, walking, resting, and watching). The proportion of time spent on each activity and their frequency were obtained from focal samples. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were used to simultaneously analyse the activity variables. A total of 155 observations of 85 herds were registered throughout the study. A similar behaviour pattern has been observed in this study for the two goat ecotypes, feral and wild, apart from some seasonal variations in feeding and resting activities. In summer, feral goats showed higher feeding efforts (duration and frequency) than wild goats; this might be related to a lower efficiency obtaining feeding resources by the former, whereas wild goats, that have inhabited the island for millennia, coexisting with vegetation in periods of lower forage abundance and quality, would be more efficient herbivores during restrictive periods. Average herd size for both ecotypes is smaller than that recorded for domestic goat herds, suggesting a relatively low browsing damage compared to the latter. Also, feral goats apparently have a higher gregarious behaviour than wild ones, which might relate to their domestic origin. Currently, the management of goats on the island is based on maintaining the wild ecotype and eradicate the feral one, whose impact on vegetation is supposedly worse. However, our results show a similar trophic behaviour by both ecotypes, so that their impact on vegetation should also be expected to be similar, indicating that this argument has not enough scientific basis.

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Section: Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Comparative study of trophic behaviour and herd structure in wild and feral goats living in a Mediterranean island: Management implications

Rivera-Sánchez

Jorge

Baraza

et al. 2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…Bøe and Ehrlenbruch (2013) recorded the lying behaviour of goats, observing if they prefer lying alone without body contact or huddling during different cold weather conditions, but the authors did not find any clear evidence that a change in lying behaviour may occur when temperature decreases. Huddling behaviour can be used for measuring cold stress in pigs (Andersen et al 2000;Welfare Quality® 2009), horses (Autio and Heiskanen 2005) and sheep (Bøe 1990), but this behaviour is not described in natural populations of goats (reviewed by Shackleton and Shank 1984). Mount (1979) reported that goats may shiver if they are exposed to low temperatures (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Feasibility and validity of animal-based indicators for on-farm welfare assessment of thermal stress in dairy goats

et al. 2015

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This investigation tested the feasibility and validity of indicators of cold and heat stress in dairy goats for on-farm welfare assessment protocols. The study was performed on two intensive dairy farms in Italy. Two different 3-point scale (0-2) scoring systems were applied to assess cold and heat stress. Cold and heat stress scores were visually assessed from outside the pen in the morning, afternoon and evening in January-February, April-May and July 2013 for a total of nine sessions of observations/farm. Temperature (°C), relative humidity (%) and wind speed (km/h) were recorded and Thermal Heat Index (THI) was calculated. The sessions were allocated to three climatic seasons, depending on THI ranges: cold (<50), neutral (50-65) and hot (>65). Score 2 was rarely assessed; therefore, scores 1 and 2 were aggregated for statistical analysis. The amount of goats suffering from cold stress was significantly higher in the cold season than in neutral (P < 0.01) and hot (P < 0.001) seasons. Signs of heat stress were recorded only in the hot season (P < 0.001). The visual assessment from outside the pen confirms the on-farm feasibility of both indicators: No constraint was found and time required was less than 10 min. Our results show that cold and heat stress scores are valid indicators to detect thermal stress in intensively managed dairy goats. The use of a binary scoring system (presence/absence), merging scores 1 and 2, may be a further refinement to improve the feasibility. This study also allows the prediction of optimal ranges of THI for dairy goat breeds in intensive husbandry systems, setting a comfort zone included into 55 and 70.

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“…Thus, other social skills include negotiating, testing, assessing and manipulating. Social hierarchies are formed among some breeds, and are maintained, challenged, and negotiated through pushing and shoving in competitive feeding situations, mating, or ritualised fighting (Shackelton, Shank 1984). Therefore, social hierarchies are not fixed, but actively performed and negotiated.…”

Section: Warnier 2006)mentioning

confidence: 99%

What can bodies do? Bodies and caves in the Karst Neolithic

Mlekuž

2011

Doc. praeh.

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This paper discuses ways in which bodies – human and animal – were produced in the Neolithic of the Karst. Bodies are seen as cumulative processes shaped by forces of encounters with the material world, rather than as biological givens. Thus, the paper focuses on the process of embodiment mediated with other bodies and landscape, especially important places such as caves. It explores the unique ways in which caves affect bodies, and how these affected bodies created new societies. In the Neolithic Karst, everyday contacts and interactions between humans, animals, the landscape and caves and rock shelters profoundly changed all the participants. A new hybrid society emerged, consisting of human and non-human bodies.

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A Review of the Social Behavior of Feral and Wild Sheep and Goats

Cited by 90 publications

References 21 publications

Comparative study of trophic behaviour and herd structure in wild and feral goats living in a Mediterranean island: Management implications

Comparative study of trophic behaviour and herd structure in wild and feral goats living in a Mediterranean island: Management implications

Feasibility and validity of animal-based indicators for on-farm welfare assessment of thermal stress in dairy goats

What can bodies do? Bodies and caves in the Karst Neolithic

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