Journal article
Effect of continuous female exposure on behavioral repertoire and stereotypical behaviors in restrained male dromedary camels during the onset of the breeding season
Tropical animal health and production, Vol.48(5), pp.897-903
12/03/2016
PMID: 26970973
Metrics
1 Record Views
Abstract
This study aimed to test the effects of the three management systems on the behavioral repertoire and particularly on the incidence of stereotypical behavior in restrained camels. Five male camels were tested under the following management systems: (i) unexposed, housing in a single box (Unexpo); (ii) continuous exposure, exposed continuously to females (ConExpoF); and (iii) re-unexposed, housing again in a single box (Re-Unexpo). Every day, bulls were filmed for 30 min and videos were analyzed using a focal animal sampling ethogram. Under the ConExpoF system, camels spent the majority of time in standing with opened legs (490.0 ± 94.3 s), looking (925.0 ± 93.7 s), and walking toward the females (206.0 ± 73.4 s) and they ate and ruminated less compared to Unexpo and Re-Unexpo systems. Rumination and standing durations were significantly longer in Re-Unexpo than in Unexpo and ConExpoF management systems. When camels were continuously exposed to females, they showed few stereotypical behaviors compared to Unexpo (490.0 ± 146.1 s) and Re-Unexpo (624.0 ± 146.1 s) systems. The frequency of both total and oral stereotypes was significantly higher in Unexpo and Re-Unexpo systems compared to ConExpoF; however, no significant difference was observed among the three management systems in the frequency of locomotor stereotypes. Overall, it appears that the continuous female exposure system might be a suitable management practice for male camels used for intensive reproduction, as it decreases the manifestation of stereotypical behavior in comparison with housing for 24 h in a single box.
Details
- Title
- Effect of continuous female exposure on behavioral repertoire and stereotypical behaviors in restrained male dromedary camels during the onset of the breeding season
- Creators
- Meriem Fatnassi - University of GabèsBarbara Padalino - University of Bari Aldo MoroDavid Monaco - University of Bari Aldo MoroTouhami Khorchani - University of GabèsGiovanni Michele Lacalandra - University of Bari Aldo MoroMohamed Hammadi - University of Gabès
- Publication Details
- Tropical animal health and production, Vol.48(5), pp.897-903
- Grant note
- This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union through the Procamed Project: Promotion des systèmes camelins innovants et des filières locales pour une gestion durable des territories saharienne: reference number: I.B/1.1/493.
- Identifiers
- 991013293350302368
- Copyright
- © 2016, Springer Science Business Media Dordrecht
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Veterinary Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article