A note on the consistency of a behavioral play marker in piglets

Background： Play behavior has been proposed as a new potential indicator of animal welfare. Animals play only if they are in a relaxed state. Play may improve adaptability to challenging environments which may be of interest in the breeding objective. Little information is available on play behavior in livestock species. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether play behavior in post-weaned piglets can be induced instantly in the presence of additional space and whether play markers are body weight, sex, and litter dependent, it is investigated whether playfulness is elicited by the moment or if this measure is consistent over different days. Methods： Thirty two piglets from four litters were released into a corridor and video recorded for eight min at 37, 41, 44 and 48 d of age. The first test was considered as an adjustment period and was not included in the analysis. In the second to the fourth test, joyful brusque movements （jumping, turning and running） were recorded with a camera and total number of movements （JOY#） and total time （JOYtime） were estimated individually. Animals were weighed at 41 d of age. Results： Females had higher scores of JOY# and JOYtime than males but this was significant only for JOY# at 41 d of age （P 〈 0.05）. The effect of age was highly significant both for JOY# and JOYtime （P 〈 0.01）. Animals with a higher JOY# and JOYtime also expressed a higher JOY# and JOYtime in the other tests, but this was significant only between 44 and 48 d of age （P〈 0.01）. Body weight at 41 d of age was not significantly related to JOY# and JQYtime in any of the tests. Conclusions： Locomotor play was induced instantly by the provision of increased space allowance. Litter origin had a significant effect on play behavior. In addition, locomotor play scores were consistent between two of the three tests.     

新疆天山野生动物园散放盘羊夏季昼间活动节律及时间分配

为了解散放情况下盘羊的昼间活动节律、时间分配规律及游人活动的影响,2009年5～6月,在新疆天山野生动物园用直接观察法对909头盘羊的昼间活动节律进行了观察。经过数据统计分析,结果表明：散放情况下盘羊夏季昼间活动规律性较强,从8：00～13：00活动频率较高,之后活动频率逐渐降低,在14：00～15：00降至最低值20%,后逐渐回升,至18：00活动频率达98%。在8：00～10：00和17：00～18：00采食频率较高;11：00～12：00警戒频率较高。昼间各类行为所占的时间比例从大至小为：采食41%,休息27%,移动16%,警戒10%,其他行为6%。     

峨眉山藏猕猴与游客的人猴关系

为了探讨峨眉山藏猕猴与游客接触相互行为与猴和游客年龄/性别组间的关系,以及猴群对游客的攻击行为,2010年4月13～18日和9月24日～10月5日共16 d以峨眉山一线天生态猴区藏猕猴与游客为研究对象进行观察。结果表明：青年猴与未成年、20～30岁、30～50岁和50岁以上各年龄阶段的女性游客接触行为比例最高,均占一半以上,分别为62.5%、57.82%、56.12%、52%,且藏猕猴与不同性别、年龄的游客接触相互行为变化差异极显著（P〈0.01）。藏猕猴主动接触游客的行为比例（74.35%）明显高于人主动投食而引起的接触相互行为比例（25.65%）,藏猕猴攻击游人的行为比例（10.02%）远远低于接触相互行为比例（89.98%）,而且峨眉山藏猕猴与不同性别、年龄的游客攻击行为变化差异极显著,其中未成年猴和成年雄猴攻击性较强。     

喜马拉雅狼蛛的生物学生态学特性

运用田间观察与室内外饲养相结合的方法,对西藏林芝地区青稞地蜘蛛优势种喜马拉雅狼蛛LycosehimalayaensisGravely的生物学生态学特性进行了研究。详细记载了喜马拉雅狼蛛求偶与交配行为过程、产卵与护卵习性、孵化及携幼行为、幼蛛生长、蜕皮、各龄期形态特征、亚成蛛及性成熟。喜马拉雅狼蛛在西藏林芝地区1a发生2￣3代,第3代不完整,以第2代历期最短,第3代(越冬代)历期最长;以成蛛或幼蛛越冬;5月中旬即由田边草丛向青稞地内迁移,在青稞作物全生育期间出现2次卵高峰、2次种群密度高峰;在室内发现4龄后的幼蛛在袋状网内蜕皮、交配期和携卵期有结袋状网或幕状网的习性;属游猎型蜘蛛,性凶猛,常游猎在植株、陆地、草地等处捕食飞虱、叶蝉、蚜虫等多种青稞害虫以及其他小型昆虫,其捕食量与龄期、蜕皮和性别有关。雌雄蛛均可多次交配,雌蛛一生可产卵3￣5次,卵囊含卵量20￣60粒,平均40粒。平均孵化率89.8%。孵化的幼蛛,先群集在雌蛛的背部,4￣7d后离开雌蛛分散捕食。幼蛛一般蜕皮6￣7次,出卵囊前至少蜕皮1次。喜马拉雅狼蛛的产卵前期3￣7d,平均5d;卵期11￣17d,平均14d;幼蛛期65￣142d,平均98.6d;成蛛期112￣168d,平均115d左右,雌蛛较雄蛛长20￣45d,平均34.6d。性比除第1代外的各代均为雌多于雄蛛。幼蛛出卵囊后至性成熟的成活率为18.4%￣51.3%,平均达31.8%。室内饲养发现在一定湿度条件下,不提供食物成蛛可存活23￣52d,平均36.5d。     

基于学业自我效能感的学风建设主体性策略探索——以南京农业大学工学院为例

学业自我效能感是高校学风建设主体性策略的重要组成部分.调查研究表明,大学生学业自我效能感对其学习行为存在显著的积极影响,尤其是学业能力自我效能感能够有效激发大学生的自主学习.结合大学生心理特征和学习特点,可以从分类指导,有效利用第一课堂,积极开发第二课堂和加强个体疏导四方面提升大学生学业自我效能感,激发学生的内在学习动机,建立良好学风.     

基于TPB模型的大学生科技创新意愿及其影响因素分析

基于计划行为理论(TPB)构建大学生科技创新活动参与意愿的理论模型,利用因子分析和结构方程模型(SEM)探析大学生科技创新意愿及其影响因素。研究表明,大学生科技创新意愿TPB理论模型能够较好地解释大学生的科技创新意愿,其中行为态度、主观规范、感知行为控制与行为意愿显著正相关。     

Calming Benefit of Short-Term Alpha-Casozepine Supplementation During Acclimation to Domestic Environment and Basic Ground Training of Adult Semi-Feral Ponies

To evaluate potential calming effects of alpha-casozepine on horses, we blindly compared behavior and training efficiency of adult semi-feral ponies treated with either alpha-casozepine or control supplement during transition to domestic management and handling. Six ponies (three matched pairs) aged 2 to 8 years that had been reared and kept since birth under semi-feral social and environmental conditions were given either alpha-casozepine (1000 mg orally once daily for ponies weighing 160 to 205 kg) or control supplement, beginning 5 days before being moved to a domestic facility for a 2-week introduction to stabling, haltering, leading, tethering, social separation, stall confinement, grooming, simulated girthing, lifting feet, health care treatments, and transportation. Objective quantitative behavior measures (latencies to complete tasks, avoidance responses, and nervous defecations) were derived from video-recorded handling sessions. For each of the 14 sessions, ponies were ranked 1 (best) to 6 (poorest) for calm, compliance, and acclimation/skill progress. All human–animal interactions, video analyses, and rankings were done blindly to supplement assignments. For most daily sessions across the 2-week training period, each of the three alpha-casozepine-treated ponies performed better than their matched control counterparts, and they also had the top three sums of daily session ranks, with a mean of 35.2 compared with 62.8 for control ponies (P < .05, dependent t-test). At 6 weeks after the 2-week training period, the alpha-casozepine-treated ponies retained the best three sum of ranks for the seven specific skills re-assessed at that time. These results provide evidence of the benefit of alpha-casozepine supplementation to horses undergoing potentially stressful situations inherent to domestic management.     

Assessment of Gastric Ulceration and Gastrin Response in Horses with History of Crib-Biting

It was hypothesized that horses exhibiting crib-biting (CB) have a greater degree of gastric mucosal damage and higher serum gastrin response to concentrate feeding than non-crib-biting (NCB) horses. Eighteen mature horses, 9 CB and 9 NCB, were used to determine prevalence and severity of gastric mucosal damage and effect of concentrate feeding on circulating gastrin. Horses were maintained on pasture with free access to hay and fed a pelleted concentrate diet twice daily. Number of crib-bites and duration of cribbing bouts were recorded in a 24-hour period. Endoscopic examinations (EE) of the squamous mucosa were performed and gastric fluid sampled after 24 to 28 hour feed removal. Following EE, horses were returned to pasture for 72 hours. Blood was collected following 12-hour feed removal (0 minutes), and at 60 and 120 minutes after consuming 1 kg of concentrate. Mean number of crib bites in 24 hours was 1,558 ± 303 with CB peaking prior to and during the afternoon feeding (3:30 PM, P < .05). There were no differences in the number or severity of ulcers, prevalence of hyperkeratosis, or baseline gastric pH between CB and NCB. Serum gastrin concentration at 60 and 120 minutes was greater (P < .05) and tended to be greater (P < .06), respectively, in CB than in NCB horses following feeding of concentrate. Crib-biting behavior in horses maintained on pasture was not associated with gastric mucosal damage; however, consumption of concentrate feed resulted in greater serum gastrin concentration in CB horses.     

圈养小熊猫对栖息地点的选择及其行为观察

为了解圈养条件下小熊猫对人工环境的选择和行为习性,为笼舍的设计和改进提供理论依据,在春夏两季对圈养的10只小熊猫进行了行为观察。结果表明,与野生小熊猫白天主要以活动行为为主不同,圈养小熊猫白天以睡和卧等安静行为为主（68.32%）,对行为发生的地点具有明显的选择性（P〈0.001）,而且几乎不受气温和天气的影响（P〉0.05）。自然生长的树为圈养小熊猫的首选地点（53.6%）。小熊猫在地面主要以活动行为为主（83.06%）,对笼箱的结构和材料没有明显的选择性（P〉0.05）。因此,圈养小熊猫笼舍内最好能种植树木,而笼箱的结构和材料则依景观的需要进行设置。     

贵州疣螈越冬生态的观察

为进一步完善贵州疣螈冬眠的生态生物学资料,采用野外定期定点与室内观测相结合的方法,研究了贵州疣螈(Tylototriton kwzichowensis)的越冬生态。结果表明:贵州疣螈在毕节七星关地区的冬眠时间约在2011年11月13日至2012年3月17日,历时4个月左右。以群居及独居方式冬眠。冬眠场所的选择包括乱石堆石缝、石灰岩山脚石洞、沟塘边泥洞、林下枯枝烂叶和水塘角腐殖土。仅有浅冬眠和中冬眠,无深冬眠,随气温波动,二者可交替出现。低温及其出现的早晚是启动其冬眠的主要生态因子,冬眠期间温度的变化引起冬眠行为的改变,冬眠期还伴随有冬眠生理指标的变化。