Elements of Ethology: A textbook for agricultural and veterinary students

by D. Wood-Gush

Overview

The object of this book is to introduce ethology to agricultural and veterinary students. Today ethology covers many approaches to the study of animal behaviour which are connected by one unifying concept: all behaviour must be considered in relation to the ecology and evolutionary history of the species under investigation. This may seem to some to put domesticated animals beyond the scope of classical ethology but, while domestication has involved some behavioural changes, we shall see that much of the behaviour of our species of farm livesk differs little from that of their putative ancestors. It is assumed that students using this book will already have studied some physiology. It is also assumed that they are, essentially, practically minded and with this factor in mind I have discussed behaviour in terms of its function, introducing the principles of ethology within functional categories of behaviour. In order to best illustrate these principles I have taken examples from a variety of species and not confmed myself to farm livesk and domestic animals, for fundamental ethological research with these species has been patchy. However at the end of each chapter I have given a list of papers pertaining to farm livesk so that the principles of ethology can be seen in a more practical context and to develop this approach further I have also added some practical problems for discussion at the end of each chapter.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780412231704
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	06/16/1983
Series:	Science Paperbacks , #184
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.02(d)

Table of Contents

1. Learning.- Classical conditioning. Operant or instrumental conditioning. Habituation. Latent learning. Insight learning. Imprinting. Constraints on learning. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 2. Social Behaviour.- Social structures. Communication. The development of social behaviour. The social behaviour of some agricultural species. Conclusions. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 3. Feeding Behaviour.- Internal mechanisms controlling feeding behaviour. Appetitive behaviour. External factors controlling feeding behaviour. Consummatory behaviour. Specific hungers. Conclusions in relation to farm livesk. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 4. Drinking Behaviour.- Internal mechanisms. External stimuli. Consummatory behaviour. Some considerations in relation to farm livesk. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 5. Sexual Behaviour.- Internal mechanisms. External factors. Courtship and copu- lation. Genetic factors controlling mating behaviour. Early experience and the development of sexual behaviour. Social factors affecting sexual behaviour. Some conclusions in relation to farm animals. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 6. Parental Behaviour.- The domestic hen. The Barbary dove. The ewe. The female rat. Some problems arising in the mother-offspring behaviour in farm animals. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 7. Sleep and Grooming.- Sleep. Grooming. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 8. Exploratory Behaviour.- Description. Conclusions in relation to animal husbandry. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 9. Conflict and Thwarting.- Types of conflict behaviour. Conflict behaviour and animal care. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 10. Aggression and Fear.- Aggression. Fear. The relationship between aggression and fear. Conclusions in relation to farm livesk. Points for dis- cussion. Further reading..- 11. Stress.- The physiology of stress. Social stress. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 12. Evolution.- Evolutionary sources of displays. Formation of displays. Behavioural adaptation. Comparisons of closely related species. Behaviour and speciation. Some considerations in relation to domesticated animals. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 13. Domestication.- Behavioural factors favouring domestication. The origins of domestication. The process of domestication. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 14. Animal Welfare.- The assessment of welfare. Points for discussion. Further reading..- 15. Ethology and Pest Control.- Insect pests. Ethology and other pests. Conclusions. Points for discussion. Further reading..- References.- Author Index.