ANIMAL ETHOLOGY

Author: ROMERO BENAVENTE M. TERESA.
Year: 2003.
University: COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID [www.ucm.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE BIOLOGÍA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE BIOLOGÍA.

Summary: Strategies for managing social conflicts are a critical component in the social life of any animal species that live in stable groups. Such strategies are mechanisms that prevent the escalation of conflicts in interindividual aggression and, furthermore, mitigate or repair the damage caused by such an escalation. In this paper, using a methodology based on the comparison of observations and control post, examines the occurrence of reconciliation, membership triádica initiated by individuals not involved and affiliation triádica initiated by the aggressor in a colony the baboons hamadríades, and discusses the impact that such behaviors have on two of the direct consequences of negative interaction agonistic: anxiety and aggression of the individual post. The anxiety of the individuals was established using behavioral indicators. Previous studies have shown the usefulness of certain behaviors displacement as behavioral indicators of stress or anxiety because of their systematic association to those states of anxiety (Maestripiere et al. 1992; Troisi 2002). This project provides empirical evidence that justifies the use of certain activities displacement behavior as indicators of anxiety in the baboon hamadríade, for his association with periods characterized by high levels of uncertainty. In addition, reconciliation and affiliation with third initiated by the aggressor were identified as strategies for managing social conflicts by the aggressors of the colony of baboons Zoo Madrid. By útlimo also examined the effect that such conduct post have a direct impact on the negative aggression, interpreted the results from the perspective of the theory of the value of the relationship.

Author: PEREZ GUISADO JOAQUÍN.
Year: 2004.
University: CÓRDOBA [www.uco.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE VETERINARIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE VETERINARIA.

Summary: We have prepared a questionnaire intended to assess through the data provided by the owner of the dog, all potential factors that may be involved in behavioral problems and other behavioral characteristics in dogs at least one year of age. With this questionnaire have valued a total of 711 dogs and as we studied characteristics or behavioral problems: dog independence, aggressiveness territorial aggressiveness posesiva, aggressiveness by dominance, the tendency to bite, the intraspecific aggression, a tendency to barking , nervousness, tenacity, being a fearful dog and the problems of separation anxiety destruction, disposal and vocalization. We can affirm that the influencing factors in behavioral problems of dogs are the dog sex, race, age of the dog, the size of the dog, the color of the layer in the English Cocker spaniel, the owner of sex, age the owner, the number of family members, the presence of children in the family, the presence of other animals in the family, not having dogs in the past, not the responsibility of the dog, not having received basic obedience training The favorite toy dog, the owner, the age of acquisition of the dog, the dog's place of origin, the purpose for which it was acquired dogs, have become sick in the first 16 weeks of life, castration, type food, the frequency with which they are given to eat, the speed at which the dog eats, the time it devotes to ride, the time of total dedication, being sick and being assaulted from puppy. We also wanted to find out whether it is possible to predict behavioral characteristics in puppy through the test Campbell, a total of 342 puppies (6 and 8 weeks), noting that what best predicts the test are the trends of aggressiveness and independence intraespecifica and at this age already are apparent differences associated with sexo-raza-edad-color of behavioral layer.

Author: LISTE RUIZ MARÍA GUIOMAR.
Year: 2006.
University: ZARAGOZA [www.unizar.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE VETERINARIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE VETERINARIA.

Summary: The first part of this thesis consisted in conducting a survey to the transport sector rabbit commercial slaughterhouse in Spain. The aim of this survey was to determine the critical points of the transport process that could compromise animal welfare. The handling procedures were very different farms, primarily in regard to the size of the cages transport. The facilities for loading and unloading animals were adequate, and the time of transport in general short. Only a few carriers had received specific training courses. The second part of the study examined the effect of transportation time (short or long), the season (summer or winter) and position within the transport truck (top, middle and bottom) on the physiological response to stress and quality of meat (instrumental and sensory level) of rabbits business. The time of transport was an important stressor for animals, as shown by the fact that the animals subjected to transport shorts show the highest levels of corticosterona and creatine fosfokinasa (CK) in blood. The season also affected some blood parameters of animal welfare. The position in the vehicle was an added stressor for the animals housed in the central parts of the towers and lower transportation. In general, transport and the season in which it was done was major stress factors for commercial rabbits. With regard to the quality analysis instrumentation meat, pH values 24 hours post-mortem in muscle (pHult) were always within the range of normalcy for rabbits business. The pHult, which is considered one of the main steps in terms of valuation of animal welfare, was not affected by the transport time. The transport time had less effect on the quality of meat instrumental that season, which seems to function as an added stressor serving regardless of the time of transport. Finally, the analysis of sensory quality of the meat concluded that the transport time had a significant effect on tenderness, fibrosidad and global assessment of the meat. The season was significantly affected by the strength of strange odors. The position in the vehicle did not influence any of the parameters of sensory quality of the meat analyzed. Therefore, even under optimal conditions of operation, it was observed that transport affects animal welfare. However, the magnitude of stress suffered was not high enough to compromise the quality of the final product. This implies that the lack of effect on the quality of meat does not guarantee an absence of stress during transport. We are therefore faced with a phenomenon more closely linked to the ethical quality that the intrinsic quality of the product. But hopefully in less favorable conditions transport has a greater effect on the welfare of animals and can affect the quality of their meat and their market value.