Animal Behaviour - Behavioural Needs
The Brambell Committee, formed in 1966, was established to assess welfare concerns in intensive farming. It led to the creation of the original Five Freedoms, focusing on animals' physical needs, especially the ability to move freely and express natural behaviours.
What is the Brambell Committee? What year did it form?
1966
Regarding intensive agriculture
Gave rise to the original 5 freedoms
Very physical, based on movement and performing behaviours
Key Terms
What is the Brambell Committee? What year did it form?
1966
Regarding intensive agriculture
Gave rise to the original 5 freedoms
Very physical, based on movement and performing behavio...
In the modern 5 freedoms how is behaviour included?
“Freedom to perform natural behaviours”
Do animals need to perform all behaviours?
No*
*What are the two types of needs any animal has?
Ultimate - What needs to be done for survival and reproduction
Proximate - What the animal thinks should be done
How/when do ultimate and proximate needs differ?
Captive environment - what the animal thinks needs to be done eg. run away from predators/mate may not actually need to be done because of cages/AI...
What should be looked at to discover if a behaviour needs to be carried out?
The motivation - does the animal want to DO the behaviour or HAVE the end result?
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
What is the Brambell Committee? What year did it form? | 1966 Regarding intensive agriculture Gave rise to the original 5 freedoms Very physical, based on movement and performing behaviours |
In the modern 5 freedoms how is behaviour included? | “Freedom to perform natural behaviours” |
Do animals need to perform all behaviours? | No* |
*What are the two types of needs any animal has? | Ultimate - What needs to be done for survival and reproduction Proximate - What the animal thinks should be done |
How/when do ultimate and proximate needs differ? | Captive environment - what the animal thinks needs to be done eg. run away from predators/mate may not actually need to be done because of cages/AI etc. |
What should be looked at to discover if a behaviour needs to be carried out? | The motivation - does the animal want to DO the behaviour or HAVE the end result? |
What are external causal factors? | Things which provoke a certain behaviour. Without these, the behaviour is probable not a necessary part of the animal’s regime to ensure good welfare. eg. running to escape predators. Only necessary if predators are chasing them, otherwise happy to stand around. |
How may external causal factors be managed to improve welfare? | Remove the ECF or allow the behaviour |
What are internal causal factors? | Hormones, instinct etc. Stimuli which evoke behaviours without any (or much) input from the environment, such as nesting, eating. |
How may an internal causal factor be identified? | An increase when the behaviour is not being performed, with the need to exhibit the behaviour building up over time - “Rebound behaviour” |
What is the ideal state of freedom wrt behaviours for animals? | “Free to do the behaviours that matter to them in the environment they are in.” |
What is a rebound behaviour? Give some examples. | One which is exhibited more frequently after a period of time where it is not able to be performed. eg. wing flapping in chickens. Animals may also search out opportunities to perform the behaviour when no opportunity actually exists. |
What is searching behaviour? How may it may noted? Eg. of studies? | Searching behaviour occurs when other resources are deprived May be measured as an increased use of wheel by rodents eg. Mather - Wheel running ^ when in season, missing food or other resources. eg. Nicol and Guilford 1991 - Chickens do more wheel running in absence of forage or dust bathing material |
What is the Lorenz model? | The way a need to perform a behaviour builds up over time, even if the outcome of the behaviour is readily available eg. food + foraging, nest + nest building |
Why does motivation need to be studied? | There is no physiological explanation for doing the behaviours |
Which model accompanies the Lorenz model to describe behaviours mediated by the outcome of the behaviour? | The control theory model |
Give 2 examples of Lorenz theory based behaviours | Hughes et al. 1989 - chickens nest build even if given a perfect nest Sherwin 2004 - mice burrow even if provided with perfect burrow |
Give 1 example of control theory based behaviours | Wiedenmeyer, 1997 - Gerbils digging decreases when provided with a burrow. |
Define “Behavioural Need” | A behaviour the animal is motivated to perform regardless of whether the goal has already been obtained. - negative external stimuli can be removed, appropriate outcomes can be provided but animals will still need to perform some behaviours |
What is a vacuum behaviour? What is this also known as? Are these behaviours good or bad for welfare? | Sham behaviour - behaviour performed in an inappropriate environment with no relevant external stimuli Performing the behaviour may be fulfilling the animals proximate need, so is good for welfare However ultimate need may need to be fulfilled some other way (eg. dust bathing without dust - parasite removal may still need to be carried out) |