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At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

[Colony defence of Asian honey bees].

Colony Defence in Asian Honey Bees. 1. In Ais cerana, Apis dorsata and Apis florea a defence behaviour (Körperschütteln) can be released by the approach of flying insects. Films of Apis cerana colonies exhibiting this behaviour were made and anaylysed. 2. Körperschütteln "could not be released by various mechanical and chemical" stimuli. Only the movement of a dark object before light background was effective in releasing this behaviour. 3. The optimal angular velocity of the dark object when moved on a moving disk was between 80 degrees to 250 degrees per sec. The optimal size for stimulation was between 5 degrees and 12 degrees (visual angle). 4. The stimulatory effect was not greatly influenced by the shape of the dark object. 5. Continued stimulation over a 90 min period resulted in 80% reduction in the number of responding bees. 6. The colony's ability to discriminate between returning forager bees and other flying insects is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

An evaluation of ethological criteria and methods in the assessment of well-being in sows.

The literature on behaviour of sows under different management systems was reviewed to evaluate ethological criteria and methods in the assessment of wellbeing. Daily activity time seems of little value in the assessment of wellbeing when housing systems are compared. It is low in confined sows, especially those that are tethered or otherwise restricted. Lack of exercise, however, has well-documented adverse effects in tethered and restricted sows. A number of well-known responses to conflicts and frustration have been observed in confined sows, but the effect of tethering and restriction varies. These responses include increased aggression, displacement activities, immobility responses, flight reactions and "inhibition of all but one response". Additionally the tethered and restricted sows frequently perform a number of stereotypes and vacuum activities. The effect of potential stressors in tethered sows, such as closeness of other individuals, high environmental temperature, lack of stimulation and thwarting of nestbuilding behaviour during the prefarrowing phase is discussed and evaluated on the basis of ethological parameters. The conflict behaviour, the stereotypes, and the vacuum behaviour seem of significance in the assessment of wellbeing, but more research is needed, especially on the significance of the stereotypes and their physiological correlates.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1982

Effects of testosterone metabolites and estrogen in the midbrain control of courtship behavior in the male ring dove (Streptopelia risoria).

Relative effectiveness of testosterone (T) and its metabolites in the midbrain to induce courtship behavior was investigated in male ring doves. T, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (5 alpha-DHT), 5 beta-dihydrotestosterone, estradiol-17 beta (E), or cholesterol was implanted in or around the nucleus intercollicularis region (ICo) of the castrated male. Resulting courtship behavior was observed by pairing the treated males with stimulus females. T, 5 alpha-DHT and E activated nest-cooling behavior pattern when placed in the ICo region only. Other male courtship behaviors were not induced, induced in each brain region tested or induced by all the hormones. Hormone diffusions from the implant did not appear to be responsible for these results since many implants within 1 mm of the ICo region failed to activate nest-cooling. These data support the idea that the midbrain along with the hypothalamic region mediate male courtship behavior.

Androgens↗
PubMed2001

Prolactin levels and maternal behavior induced by ultrasonic vocalizations of the rat pup.

The relationship among ultrasonic vocalization (USV), prolactin and maternal behavior was investigated in lactating rat mothers and their pups. The lactating mother had a cannula inserted into the external jugular vein, and was exposed to USVs emitted from a pup immediately. Changes of prolactin and maternal behavior were determined. Prolactin increased dramatically during exposure to USVs, when maternal search, retrieving and nest building behavior appeared significantly. These results suggested that the relationship among USV, prolactin and maternal behavior was included in communication between lactating mother and pup.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Behavior and behavioral needs.

An understanding of behavior is important in any consideration of poultry welfare. Behavior is a good indicator of states of suffering such as fear, frustration, and pain. It might also be possible to use social interactions as indicators of welfare. The possibility of using "luxury" behavior, such as play and exploratory behavior, as an indicator of positive emotional states, requires investigation. Important welfare consequences arise from the fact that some behavior may be so strongly motivated as to constitute a "need". A behavioral need will arise in the case of behavior, such as nesting, that is controlled largely by internal factors, because these factors will be present no matter what type of environment is provided. Behavior triggered largely by external stimuli, such as responses to predators, will not give rise to a need if the external factors can be removed from the environment. Dustbathing is an example of behavior controlled by complex interactions between internal and external factors; the extent to which this constitutes a need is still being debated. If a behavioral need arises, then it is important that the environment provided allows it to be performed without damage to the performer or other birds. It should also be remembered that birds may need to perform behavior, including appetitive as well as consummatory elements, although the functional consequences of these are no longer required for survival. Finally, the performance of certain behavior leads to an increase in health or physical condition that improves welfare later in life.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed1979

Hornet building orientation in a vertically rotating centrifuge.

Hornets build combs that are clearly oriented toward the center of gravity and they compensate for any change made in the direction of their cells, provided the gravitational vector remains unchanged. Under natural conditions the first few cells are built by the queen in the spring, following the hibernation period, and building is then continued by the workers. Recently several reports have been published concerning the fact that groups of hornets (V. orientalis workers) may build in the absence of the queen and that such combs resemble those built by the queen. In previous investigations on building orientation, hornets placed in artificial breeding boxes (ABBs) on a horizontal centrifuge were subjected to constant centrifugal and gravitational forces, the resultant of which ranged between 1-1.5 g. Under these conditions young hornets (1-2 days of age) built combs in the direction of the resultant force, while the direction of building by adult hornets (3-7 days of age) was dependent on the presence or absence of a straight roof. Adults placed in the ABBs of rectangular shape built combs the orientation of which was determined by the Earth's gravity alone (perpendicular to the roof) whereas those in spherical ABBs with a convex roof built combs in the direction of the resultant gravitational and centrifugal forces, much the same as combs built by the young hornets. We were, however, also interested in studying the building orientation of hornets placed under conditions of changing resultant forces. The present paper describes comb building by hornets under the alternating gravitational forces of a vertical centrifuge.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Suppression of prolactin does not reduce infant care by parentally experienced male common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

High levels of prolactin have been found to correlate with the expression of paternal care in a variety of taxa. However, in mammals, there is little experimental evidence that prolactin is causally involved in the stimulation or maintenance of paternal care. Here, we suppressed prolactin production in paternally experienced common marmoset fathers in their family groups during the first 2 weeks after their infants were born. Circulating prolactin levels were suppressed using cabergoline (Dostinex: Pfizer), a long acting dopamine (D2) agonist with minimal behavioural side-effects. A within-subject design was used to compare behavioural and hormonal data on 5 paternally experienced fathers during two consecutive births. Cabergoline reduced prolactin to negligible levels in all fathers without effecting testosterone, DHT and cortisol and without adverse side-effects. However, lowering prolactin had no significant effect on the expression of majority of the behaviour patterns associated with paternal care. These included infant carrying, infant grooming and the frequency with which fathers retrieved and rejected infants. The only infant-related behaviour to be affected was the frequency with which fathers touched, licked and investigated infants. We noted a marginally significant increase in this behaviour during cabergoline treatment. Despite the lack of effect on paternal care, cabergoline did exert an effect on the affiliative/sexual behaviour of fathers as there was a significant increase in the grooming behaviour fathers directed at and received from their mates during drug treatment. This study showed that experienced male marmosets can express paternal behaviour in the absence of the high prolactin levels normally seen after infants are born.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Maternal behavior in female C57BL/6J and DBA/2J inbred mice.

Inbred strains of mice exhibit different patterns of maternal behavior, providing material for studies of genetic influences on the expression of maternal behavior. Beginning 1 day after birth, maternal behavior was recorded daily for 14 days in the first and second litters of C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) mothers. D2 mice had higher pup survival than B6 mice, and pup survival was higher in both strains in second litters than in first litters. D2 mothers spent more time engaged in maternal behavior, especially resting with, crouching over, and nursing pups than B6 mothers with first litters, but not with second litters. Not all measures of maternal behavior were correlated with pup survival; with both litters, B6 mothers retrieved pups faster than D2 mothers.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

Effects of humidity on reproductive behavior in male and female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are regarded as opportunistic breeders with reproductive behaviors mediated by short-term proximal environmental conditions. This article provides experimental evidence for the role of humidity in reproductive behaviors. Zebra finches were subjected to experimentally manipulated high levels of relative humidity. Males gathered more nest material and sang more. Females showed no relationship between humidity and gathering nest materials, egg laying, or changes in rates of vocalization.

Animals↗