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Impact of domestication on learning and cognitive capacities in goats (Capra hircus): effects of long-term cognitive training on livestock welfare and husbandry

驯化对山羊（Capra hircus）学习和认知能力的影响：长期认知训练对牲畜福利和畜牧业的影响

基本信息

批准号：
323580261
负责人：
Dr. Jan Langbein
金额：
--
依托单位：
Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs
依托单位国家：
德国
项目类别：
Research Grants
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
德国
起止时间：
2016-12-31 至 2021-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/323580261?language=en
关键词：
Impact domestication learning cognitive capacities

项目摘要

Cognitive tests are an important tool with which to investigate the mental capacities of non-human animals, and to provide insights into the process of domestication and how it has shaped behavioural and cognitive capacities. Often differing in their mental capacities compared to their wild counterparts, domestic animals are subject to intensive husbandry conditions, which offer only limited opportunities to perform characteristic species-specific behaviours and can thus lead to boredom, stress and frustration. Although structural enrichment has been known to counteract these negative outcomes, approaches that focus on the effects of cognitive training as a form of enrichment on measures of animal welfare (such as behavioural reactivity and stress physiology) are rarely investigated.Thus, the main goals of the proposed project are to investigate (1) the impact of domestication on the visual learning and cognitive capacities of an ungulate species, the goat (Capra hircus); (2) their ability to learn from con- and heterospecifics; and (3) the impact of long-term cognitive training on goats welfare, and their motivation to participate in specific cognitive challenging tasks. Study subjects are wild goats and two breeds of domestic goats with two different selection objectives (an intensive breed selected for high milk production and an extensive breed selected for herding in rural landscapes). First, we will investigate learning flexibility and the ability to use causal and social cues with a special focus on human-animal interactions and the impact of domestication (WP I and II). Second, we will investigate the effect of previous cognitive training/testing and of the selection objective on the ability of domestic goats to learn socially from either (a) a conspecific or (b) a human (WP III). Finally, we will determine the influence of long-term cognitive training on behavioural flexibility, stress reactivity, and human-animal interactions as well as the intrinsic motivation of domestic goats to participate in cognitively challenging tasks (WP IV). To optimize the external validity of our results, experiments will be carried out in two research facilities under similar housing and handling conditions.The results will provide significant insights into how domestication, in general and in relation to specific selection objectives, has affected the behaviour and cognition of non-human animals, using goats as a model species. Gaining deeper knowledge of the effects of domestication on livestock cognition is highly important because cognitive capacities affect the ability of livestock (and other captive and/or domestic animals) to adapt to husbandry conditions and human interactions. Consequently, we will provide new insights into the long-term effects of repeated cognitive training on behavioural, motivational and physiological parameters of domestic animals, enabling a greater incorporation of cognitive enrichment into concepts of animal welfare.

认知测试是一个重要的工具，可以用来调查非人类动物的心理能力，并提供对驯化过程及其如何塑造行为和认知能力的见解。与野生动物相比，家养动物的心智能力往往不同，它们受到密集饲养条件的限制，只有有限的机会表现出特有的物种行为，因此可能导致厌倦、压力和沮丧。虽然结构性丰富已经被认为可以抵消这些负面结果，但关注认知训练作为一种丰富形式对动物福利措施的影响的方法，（如行为反应和应激生理学）很少被研究。因此，拟议项目的主要目标是调查（1）驯化对有蹄类动物视觉学习和认知能力的影响，山羊（山羊）;（2）他们的能力，学习从con-and heterospecific;（3）山羊福利的长期认知训练的影响，以及他们的动机，参与特定的认知挑战性任务。研究对象是野山羊和两个品种的国内山羊有两个不同的选择目标（一个密集的品种选择高牛奶产量和广泛的品种选择放牧在农村景观）。首先，我们将研究学习的灵活性和使用因果和社会线索的能力，特别关注人与动物的相互作用和驯化的影响（WP I和II）。其次，我们将调查以前的认知训练/测试和选择目标的能力，国内山羊学习社会从（a）同种或（B）一个人（WP III）的影响。最后，我们将确定长期认知训练对行为灵活性，应激反应和人-动物互动的影响，以及国内山羊参与认知挑战性任务（WP IV）的内在动机。为了优化我们的研究结果的外部有效性，我们将在两个研究设施中，在相似的饲养和处理条件下进行实验，其结果将提供重要的见解驯化，在一般情况下，并与特定的选择目标，影响了非人类动物的行为和认知，使用山羊作为模式物种。深入了解驯化对牲畜认知的影响非常重要，因为认知能力影响牲畜（和其他圈养和/或家养动物）适应畜牧条件和人类互动的能力。因此，我们将为重复认知训练对家畜行为，动机和生理参数的长期影响提供新的见解，使认知丰富更好地融入动物福利的概念。