Identity profiles based on social strategies, morphology, physiology, and cognitive abilities in goats
Identity profiles based on social strategies, morphology, physiology, and cognitive abilities in goats
Date
2013
Authors
Maria Pascual Alonso, 0000-0001-7012-2095
Wilmer S. Sepulveda, 0000-0001-7562-5089
Morris Villarroel, 0000-0003-2542-3985
Lorena Aguayo Ulloa, 0000-0002-3825-9515
Genaro Miranda-de la Lama, 0000-0002-6848-1010
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. Unidad Lerma
Abstract
Description
The aim of this study was to analyze the structure of identity profiles based on social strategies, morphology, physiology, and cognitive abilities in domestic goats. Social interactions of 33 goats were recorded over a period of 16 days for 96 hours. Blood samples and morphological measurements were taken from each animal, and they were each put through a T-maze test. Using the test of factor analysis, 3 of 7 types of social interactions concentrated 76.6% of the variance. They were named the “avoider” factor (21.20%), “nonagonistic” factor (16.30%), and “agonistic” factor (39.10%). Subsequently, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to characterize identity profiles (groups of similar animals), which could help to explain the possible association between social strategies (obtained using the factor analysis) and index of success, social and individual behaviors, and morphological, physiological, and cognitive characteristics. The results suggest the existence of 4 clusters or identity profiles, which were termed “aggressive,” “affiliative,” “passive,” and “avoider.” When they were compared between clusters, each identity profile had significant differences regarding all social variables, feeding and resting variables, most of the physiological measures, and all the morphological characteristics. The resolution time for the T-maze was significantly different between clusters and days. In conclusion, associating social strategies with details of behavior, physiology, and morphology provides a more robust idea of identity profiles adopted by goats under intensive farm conditions and suggests a richer diversity of strategies used by goats.
Keywords
CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA