Use of a maze test to assess spatial learning and memory in cattle: Can cattle traverse a complex maze?

Hirata, Masahiko; Tomita, Chihiro; Yamada, Karin

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2016.04.004

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Our results extend previous findings that cattle can be conditioned using operant methodologies [ 12 , 49 ] to the learning of long chains of behaviour. All test calves learned the full behaviour chain, including leaving the latrine, stopping in the alley and waiting for a vibration signal before re-entering the latrine, then waiting in front of the bowl before receiving a reward.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

How Can Cattle Be Toilet Trained? Incorporating Reflexive Behaviours into a Behavioural Chain

Dirksen

Langbein

Schrader

et al. 2020

Animals

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Untrained cattle do not defecate or urinate in defined locations. The toilet training of cattle would allow urine and faeces to be separated and stored, reducing climate-damaging emissions and improving animal health. In a proof-of-concept study, we evaluated a novel protocol for toilet training in cattle. Five heifer calves (and yoked controls) were trained in the voluntary (operant) behaviours of a toileting chain. Then, reflexive urinating responses were incorporated into the chain, with toileting signalled by a tactile (vibratory) stimulus. On 95% of occasions, the calves inhibited/interrupted urination when receiving the stimulus, and on 65% of these occasions, reinitiated urination in the latrine. Furthermore, during 63% of urinations in the latrine, the calves oriented to the reward location before any food was delivered, providing additional evidence that calves can be successfully toilet trained with food rewards. Yoked controls failed to learn most of the operant elements and all the reflexive responses of toilet training. The results show that reflexive behaviours can be incorporated into voluntary toileting sequences with cattle and extend the range of species that can be toilet trained. Future refinement of the protocol to allow training under practical farm conditions offers the potential to mitigate climate damage and improve animal health.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

How Can Cattle Be Toilet Trained? Incorporating Reflexive Behaviours into a Behavioural Chain

Dirksen

Langbein

Schrader

et al. 2020

Animals

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“…In this study, the cows had to combine a learnt and rather conspicuous response (opening the gate and knowing that no one could follow) with the motivation to isolate. Research on the cognitive abilities of cattle is generally limited, but cows do possess the ability to perform rather complex instrumental conditioning tasks [ 45 ], have quite good spatial memory and are able to navigate quite complicated mazes which they memorize for up to 6 weeks [ 46 ]. Furthermore, all cows used the pens on their own several times before calving, and approx.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The motivation-based calving facility: Social and cognitive factors influence isolation seeking behaviour of Holstein dairy cows at calving

2018

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In order to improve animal welfare it is recommended that dairy farmers move calving cows from the herd to individual pens when calving is imminent. However, the practicality of moving cows has proven a challenge and may lead to disturbance of the cows rather than easing the process of calving. One solution may be to allow the cow to seek isolation prior to calving. This study examined whether pre-parturient dairy cows will isolate in an individual calving pen placed in a group calving setting and whether a closing gate in this individual calving pen will cause more cows to isolate prior to calving. Danish Holstein cows (n = 66) were housed in groups of six in a group pen with access to six individual calving pens connected to the group area. Cows were trained to use one of two isolation opportunities i.e. individual calving pens with functional closing gates (n = 35) allowing only one cow access at a time, or individual calving pens with permanently open gates allowing free cow traffic between group area and individual pen (n = 31). The response variables were calving site, calving behaviour and social behaviour. Unexpectedly, a functional gate did not facilitate isolation seeking, perhaps because the cows were not able to combine a learnt response with the motivation to isolate. Dominant cows had the highest chance of calving in an individual calving pen. If an alien calf was present in the group pen or any of the individual pens, cows were less likely to calve in an individual calving pen. Future studies should allow cows easy access to an individual calving pen and explore what motivates pre-parturient cows to seek isolation in order to facilitate voluntary use of individual calving pens.

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“…Some cows are not only capable of learning simple mazes or the location of food in fields but also can learn to traverse a complex maze (defined as one with multiple arms) when they are provided with step-by-step learning opportunities. Once learned, they can retain the memory of the maze configuration for up to 6 weeks (Hirata, Tomita, & Yamada, 2016). Moreover, they can retain a memory of an association between a visual cue (a plastic tub) and a food reward for at least a year (Hirata & Takeno, 2014).…”

Section: Learning and Cognitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Psychology of Cows

Marino¹,

Allen²

2017

ABC

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-Domestic cows (Bos taurus) are consumed worldwide as beef and veal, kept as dairy product producers, employed as draft animals in labor, and are used for a long list of other products, including leather and manure. But despite global reliance on cows for thousands of years, most people's perception of them is as plodding herd animals with little individual personality and very simple social relationships or preferences. Yet, a review of the scientific literature on cow behavior points to more complex cognitive, emotional and social characteristics. Moreover, when cow behavior is addressed, it is almost entirely done within the framework of and applied to their use as food commodities. Therefore, there is relatively little attention to the study of cow intelligence, personality and sociality at a basic comparative level. In this review, we examine the current state of scientific knowledge about cows within an objective comparative framework, describing their cognitive, emotional, and social characteristics. Our aim is to provide a more veridical and objective current summary of cow psychology on its own terms and in ways which will facilitate better-informed comparisons with other animals. Moreover, an understanding of the capabilities and characteristics of domestic cows will, it is hoped, advance our understanding of who they are as individuals.

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Use of a maze test to assess spatial learning and memory in cattle: Can cattle traverse a complex maze?

Cited by 18 publications

References 25 publications

How Can Cattle Be Toilet Trained? Incorporating Reflexive Behaviours into a Behavioural Chain

How Can Cattle Be Toilet Trained? Incorporating Reflexive Behaviours into a Behavioural Chain

The motivation-based calving facility: Social and cognitive factors influence isolation seeking behaviour of Holstein dairy cows at calving

The Psychology of Cows

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