From: IN%"mplonsky@uwsp.edu" "Plonsky, Mark" 1-AUG-1999 14:37:50.88 To: CC: Subj: RE: chemicals medications effecting scenting dogs abilities Dear Folks, Some time ago I put out a query on this subject that I had received from a K9 handler. I indicated that I would collect together the responses I received and then summarize them back to the list. Here is the original query: > I am a K9 handler specializing in Narcotic drug > detection. Is there any medications or chemicals > that can alter a K9's ability to search for > narcotics. Thanks! I then received several messages expressing concerns that this info should not be publicly available. These concerns took some of the wind out of my sails in researching the topic. However, I also received several more queries from (known) K9 handlers indicating that they would find the info to be very useful. In any event, my query and small amount of research revealed that there is not much that will affect a dog's sense of smell. It is analogous to vision in humans. That is, rather drastic steps have to be taken to alter ones visual ability. What follows are pieces of some of the responses I received and a short summaries of some relevant scientific journal articles that my brief literature search revealed. Take care, Dr. P Dog Training Site - http://www.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/dog/dog.htm ----- Mark Plonsky, Ph.D. 715-346-3961 wk ----- ----- Psychology Dept. 715-346-2778 fx ----- ----- University of Wisconsin 715-344-0023 hm ----- ----- Stevens Point, WI 54481 mplonsky@uwsp.edu ----- ----- http://www.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/mphome.htm ----- One respondent indicated: > Some heartworm prevention can affect scenting > ability in the initial month of administration. Another noted that: > In my experience as a detector dog handler/instructor, > I have heard myths about a dog being fooled by coffee, > tea, etc. I have yet to find a properly > trained dog that will be fooled by such odors. > > However, on some military bases, it is punishable to > use bleach, for instance, to try and fool the dog. > Numerous times I have been tasked with sending my dog > teams to search a barracks for illegal narcotics. If > any of my teams were to come across a door that > repelled the dog, such as bleach, the occupants of > the room would be apprehended and charged with assault. > The presence of the bleach also gives the K9 officer > the probable cause to gain access to the room and > conduct a more detailed search with his dog, barring > any safety concerns, of course. > > As far as I know, the only way to really mask an odor > is for the odor not to be there at all. Another response indicated: > This is probably not what the questioner had in mind, > but when I treated an epileptic drug sniffer dog (years > ago) with various types of the drugs used to control > epilepsy, we were unable to find a dose that allowed > the dog to continue to function. Too lethargic in > some cases, just not interested in others (maybe the > same problem but at a lesser level). I don't think > it was affecting the sense of smell, just the > motivation, but you never know, I suppose. And another: > I used to avoid giving my patrol dog the intranasal > bordatella vaccine...preferring the injection > because I had heard the nasal variety could affect > his scenting ability. However, having used the > intranasal on other dogs who then did their tracking, > etc, with no ill effect I had to conclude (nothing > scientific, just personal experience) that it had no > negative effect. And for some relevant scientific journal articles: (Note that Anosmia means "an inability to smell" and olfactory ability is the more technical term for the sense of smell.) Anosmia associated with canine distemper. by Myers LJ, Hanrahan LA, Swango LJ, Nusbaum KE Acute canine distemper virus (CDV) was shown to be associated with anosmia. Anosmia was also found in most dogs that had had CDV 10 to 26 weeks earlier. (Am J Vet Res 1988 Aug;49(8):1295-7) Dysfunction of sense of smell caused by canine parainfluenza virus infection in dogs. by Myers LJ, Nusbaum KE, Swango LJ, Hanrahan LN, Sartin E Found that canine parainfluenza impaired olfactory function. (Am J Vet Res 1988 Feb;49(2):188-90) Dysosmia caused by encephalitis in a dog. by Simpson ST, Myers LJ In a study of a single dog (beagle), it was found that canine distemper encephalitis was associated with impaired olfactory function. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1987 Dec 15;191(12):1593) Two methods for producing peripheral anosmia in dogs. by Houpt KA, Shepherd P, Hintz HF Two methods were described. 1) infusion of zinc sulfate into the nasal cavity produced long lasting anosmia. 2) insertion of a tracheostomy tube with inflatable cuff produced short periods of reversible anosmia. (Lab Anim Sci 1978 Apr;28(2):173-7) Effects of steroids on the olfactory function of the dog. by Ezeh PI, Myers LJ, Hanrahan LA, Kemppainen RJ, Cummins KA Basically indicated that certain steroids impaired olfactory ability. (Physiol Behav 1992 Jun;51(6):1183-7) end---------- From: IN%"PetherC@prose.dpi.qld.gov.au" "Petherick, Carol (TBC)" 1-AUG-1999 23:52:53.11 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'ethology'" CC: Subj: Bud Williams Does anybody know of, or how I can contact Bud Williams? I believe he's from the US and is coming to Queensland in Sept. this year. I've heard (about fourth hand, so can't be certain of the facts) that he did some work encouraging reindeer to move from areas where they were not wanted to areas where they were. Can anybody help me with more information? Carol "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi Carol Petherick Senior Scientist (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) Queensland Beef Industry Institute Tropical Beef Centre PO Box 5545 Central Qld Mail Centre Rockhampton Qld 4702 Australia email: petherc@dpi.qld.gov.au tel: (0)7 4923 8200 fax: (0)7 4923 8222 From: IN%"eoprice@ucdavis.edu" "Edward O. Price" 2-AUG-1999 10:33:15.59 To: IN%"applied-ethology-error@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology-error", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'ethology'" CC: Subj: RE: Bud Williams Dear Carol: The last address I have for Bud is "Bud Williams Stockmanship School, PO Box 2220, Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada T9V 1R6 (403) 875-9256. He conducted a short course for us at our Sierra Beef Cattle Field Station. Some of this information can be found at the following web address: http://www.foothill.net/~ringram/budnotes.htm Ed Price eoprice@ucdavis.edu ---------- >From: applied-ethology-error >To: 'ethology' >Subject: Bud Williams >Date: Monday, August 02, 1999 3:48PM > >Does anybody know of, or how I can contact Bud Williams? I believe he's >from the US and is coming to Queensland in Sept. this year. I've heard >(about fourth hand, so can't be certain of the facts) that he did some work >encouraging reindeer to move from areas where they were not wanted to areas >where they were. > >Can anybody help me with more information? > >Carol > >"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way >its animals are treated." >Mahatma Gandhi > >Carol Petherick >Senior Scientist (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) >Queensland Beef Industry Institute >Tropical Beef Centre >PO Box 5545 >Central Qld Mail Centre >Rockhampton >Qld 4702 >Australia > >email: petherc@dpi.qld.gov.au >tel: (0)7 4923 8200 >fax: (0)7 4923 8222 From: IN%"eoprice@ucdavis.edu" "Edward O. Price" 2-AUG-1999 10:33:25.55 To: IN%"applied-ethology-error@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology-error", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'ethology'" CC: Subj: RE: Bud Williams Dear Carol: The last address I have for Bud is "Bud Williams Stockmanship School, PO Box 2220, Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada T9V 1R6 (403) 875-9256. He conducted a short course for us at our Sierra Beef Cattle Field Station. Some of this information can be found at the following web address: http://www.foothill.net/~ringram/budnotes.htm Ed Price eoprice@ucdavis.edu ---------- >From: applied-ethology-error >To: 'ethology' >Subject: Bud Williams >Date: Monday, August 02, 1999 3:48PM > >Does anybody know of, or how I can contact Bud Williams? I believe he's >from the US and is coming to Queensland in Sept. this year. I've heard >(about fourth hand, so can't be certain of the facts) that he did some work >encouraging reindeer to move from areas where they were not wanted to areas >where they were. > >Can anybody help me with more information? > >Carol > >"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way >its animals are treated." >Mahatma Gandhi > >Carol Petherick >Senior Scientist (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) >Queensland Beef Industry Institute >Tropical Beef Centre >PO Box 5545 >Central Qld Mail Centre >Rockhampton >Qld 4702 >Australia > >email: petherc@dpi.qld.gov.au >tel: (0)7 4923 8200 >fax: (0)7 4923 8222 From: IN%"aa266@cleveland.Freenet.Edu" 2-AUG-1999 16:55:40.35 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Emotional health in companion animals Reply to message from scrowell@calc.vet.uga.edu of Tue, 27 Jul > > >As regards the general topic--emotional health in companion >animals--based on our research and my clinical experience, it is my >opinion that cats generally are better off in multi-cat >households which are relatively stable in composition. This gives >them playmates and social partners. We do know that they develop >"preferred associate" relationships with specific other individuals >in the group, that they allorub, allogroom and do a lot of sniffing >of each other as well as the environment. We are just >beginning to decipher some of the "subtle" signals that have >been in front of us all along, but which people don't look for >because they haven't been taught to focus their attention on >them, but there is a lot of social signalling that goes on between >members of a group. Members of a social group will sleep in a huddle >even when the Georgia afternoons climb into the 90's. The importance >of the social contact overwhelms the fact that the huddle works >against thermoregulation in such conditions. > >Sharon Crowell-Davis > Since the social group of cats to which you refer is "on the dole" and has little else to occupy their intellects other than each other and the daily handouts, is it possible that this is not representative of basic feline behavior? Also, do you have an opinion as to the interspecific sociability of true feral cats that have to work for a living (have to provide all of their own diet through predation) to survive? -- ^ ^ DBC (aka D.B. Cameron, DVM) < \ / > Animal Behavior Clinic 440/826-0013 ! ! -------------------------------------------- .. In vino veritas. In cervisio felicitas. From: IN%"PetherC@prose.dpi.qld.gov.au" "Petherick, Carol (TBC)" 3-AUG-1999 21:17:15.17 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'ethology'" CC: Subj: Visit to Oz by Bud Williams - Stockmanship Further to my query about Bud, those of you in Australia might be interested to know that he's running a number of 2-day stockmanship schools ('Teaching Low Stress Livestock Handling')here in September and October: WA: Carnarvon 6-7 Sept, Fitzroy Crossing 10-11 Sept NT: Tennant Creek 14-15 Sept QLD: Richmond 19-20 Sept, Clermont 23-24 Sept, Theodore 27-28 Sept, Goondiwindi 2-3 Oct NSW: Tamworth 6-7 October, Dubbo 11-12 Oct VIC: Bendigo 15-16 Oct, Mildura 20-21 Oct TAS: Launceston 24-25 Oct There is a fee of $Aus500 for the school, with a money back guarantee if you're not satisfied! You can get more information from me or the organisers of the tour: Resource Consulting Services Pty Ltd PO Box 633 YEPPOON, Q 4703 ph: 07 4939 5255 Toll free: 1800 356 004 fax: 07 4939 5144 Carol "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi Carol Petherick Senior Scientist (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) Queensland Beef Industry Institute Tropical Beef Centre PO Box 5545 Central Qld Mail Centre Rockhampton Qld 4702 Australia email: petherc@dpi.qld.gov.au tel: (0)7 4923 8200 fax: (0)7 4923 8222 From: IN%"el_lethey@hotmail.com" "Heba EL-lethey" 4-AUG-1999 02:10:52.85 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Introduce myself This is Heba El-lethey, Assistant lecturer at Dept. of Animal Hygiene, Management and Zoonoses, Fac. of Vet. Med., Cairo Univ., Egypt. I've graduated at the fac. of Vet. Med., cairo Univ. on 1993 with general estimate very good after 5 academic years of studying. On 1994 I have been appointed as demonstrator at Dept of Animal Hygiene, Management and Zoonoses at same faculty. On 1996, I've got a scolarship to do my master work entitled: (Effect of some managemental practices on immune response of laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) at Dept. of Animal Behaviour, Zoological Institute, Berne University, Switzerland in corporation with Dept. of Immunology, Fac. of Vet. Med., Berne Univ., Switzerland. I've got my master degree on December 1998. I have 2 publications (in press at Br. Poult. Sci.) one as a senior author entitled: Stress and feather pecking in laying hens in relation to housing condition and the second as a second author entitled : Effect of foraging material and food form on feather pecking in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). I'm awarded the Scweisfurth-Forshungpreis für artgemässe Nutztierhaltung 1999 for my master thesis. On Juli 1999, I've got a Doctorate scolarship to do my doctorate work entitled: Effect of stress on the development of feather pecking and immune response in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) at Dept of Animal Behaviour, Zoological Institute, Berne Univ. in corporation with Dept. of Immunology, Fac. of Vet. Med., Berne Univ., Switzerland. Heba El-lethey Zoological Institute Berne University Wohlenstrasse 50a CH-3032 Hinterkappelen Switzerland E.mail: el_lethey@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com From: IN%"johnwade@ethological.com" "John Wade" 4-AUG-1999 03:07:07.69 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Ethology List" CC: Subj: Fw: Juvenile/young offender rehab > Hello all, > > Later in September we begin a pilot project with temporary funding working > with young offenders and carefully selected shelter dogs from throughout the > province. I would like to visit at least one other similar program in North > America in advance. I am unconcerned as whether they work with dogs or > horses. Any contacts that you can provide would be appreciated. > > John Wade > Canine Behaviour Specialist > Ontario Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals > 9 Commissioners Road East Suite 1004 > London, Ontario Canada > N6C 5Z7 > > Email 1: johnwade@home.com > > Email 2: johnwade@ethological.com > > Web Site: http://www.members.home.net/johnwade/ > > 519-457-9779 - Office > 519-649-2230 - Facsimile From: IN%"jkodea@dynamite.com.au" "Julian and Karna O'Dea" 4-AUG-1999 05:35:51.81 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'ethology'" CC: Subj: Ethology list? Can anyone tell me if the "Ethology" list at LISTSERV@SEGATE.SUNET.SE is still active? I am apparently still subscribed, but I have seen no messages in some time, and a message I sent was supposed to have been sent to the moderator, but did not appear. By the way, if anyone is interested in the honey bee dance "language" controversy, I have something at my website below on this topic. Julian O'Dea Canberra, Australia http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/5396/ From: IN%"el_lethey@hotmail.com" "Heba EL-lethey" 4-AUG-1999 07:19:50.59 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: could you clarify this for me Hello all In our current study We'd like to simulate the effect of stress by direct feeding of corticosterone to 12 weeks old Lohman Selected Leghorn (LSL) chicks at different doses (o, 20, 40, 60 ppm) and looking at various behavioural, physiological and immunological stress parameters. Please, I'd like to get an answer for the following questions: 1. 256 (12 weeks old) chicks will be used in our study till reach (21 weeks old). The whole flock will be divided into 4 gps feed the previously mentioned doses. Do you think there'll be a problem in continuous feeding of corticosterone allover this long period. 2. It would be difficult to prepare the medicated food for all this number of chickens every day. Is there a problem of preparing the whole amount needed per week or more and store it ready for use? Could storing interfer with the stability of the corticosterone? (may be degradation could occur or transformation into another inactive product). If not, Shall I store the medicated food at low temp.? 3. Is there a certain chemical name for corticosterone to use it in the study or just corticosterone? 4. I'm looking to determine the right time to begin saling the eggs after the end of the work, What is the half life time of corticosterone in the layers. It has been mentioned that corticosterone half life in broilers is 22 min (Birrenkott G. P., Wiggins, M. E., (1984). Determination of dexamethasone and corticosterone half-life in male broilers. Poult. Sci., 63(5):1064-1068). Thank you in advance Heba El-lethey Zoological Institute Berne University Wohlen Strasse 50a CH 3032 Switzerland E.mail: el_lethey@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com From: IN%"yuanyan@pilot.msu.edu" "Yan Yuan" 6-AUG-1999 14:45:33.45 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Regulation of weaning age Dear group: I have heard that there is a regulation in EU on the issue of weaning age in pigs (no early than 3 weeks). Is there any publications that I can reference? What exactly is that regulation about? Please help! Thank you for any suggestions. Yan Yuan Master Candidate Animal Behavior Lab Michigan State University From: IN%"meredith@farmline.com" "Michael Meredith" 7-AUG-1999 06:22:19.38 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Ethology Group Posting" CC: Subj: RE: Regulation of weaning age in pigs Dear Yan Yuan, It is indeed the case that weaning pigs earlier than 3 weeks (except for sow illness or lactation failure) is illegal in the European Union. In fact there is a proposal before the EU to increase this age limit to 4 weeks. The 3 week EU regulation was a classic piece of ill-considered, poorly publicised and unenforced legislation. I t is widely ignored throughout the EU and I am not aware that anyone has ever been prosecuted for breaching this rule, certainly not in the UK. Many people keeping pigs in the EU do not even know of this legislation and many of those who do blatantly ignore it. The sentiment behind the regulation is fine - there is no doubt that weaning earlier than 3 weeks is can lead to distress and behaviour disorders. However, the underlying industry dynamics and ignorance which leads to farmers adopting earlier weaning has not been addressed, so we end up with a largely ignored and unenforced law that brings disrepute to the EU legal system and its expert advisors. If you would like more background information on this topic, we produce a diskette on "pig welfare" which compiles data, opinion and website links. Contact me for details of cost and availability. Best Wishes Michael Meredith -----Original Message----- From: Yan Yuan To: Applied-ethology@skyway.usask.ca Date: 06 August 1999 21:56 Subject: Regulation of weaning age >Dear group: >I have heard that there is a regulation in EU on the issue of weaning age >in pigs (no early than 3 weeks). Is there any publications that I can >reference? What exactly is that regulation about? >Please help! Thank you for any suggestions. >Yan Yuan >Master Candidate >Animal Behavior Lab >Michigan State University From: IN%"S.Gragert@t-online.de" 10-AUG-1999 00:32:32.35 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology" CC: Subj: is packing pigs tightly to prevent falling in transport impossible? Dear All, it is no question that a transported pig needs at least as much room as its body covers when standing or lying plus some extra for changing posture and moving around. I did some measurements on my little dog today, and she (ok she is not a pig, it was just to get a basic idea) is 0,25 m * 0,5 m when sitting and 0,25m * 0,75 m when lying or standing. So sitting needs only 66.7 % (2/3) of the space compared to lying. (I know, that there are much more complicate calculations to do for space requirements, this is not ment to be excact, just to show the principle) That means, if we generously take these relations for the pig, which is not accurate of course, in a compartement fully loaded with pigs there can occur up to 33 % of free room, when all animals are sitting. So, packing them tightly to prevent involuntary animal motion and falling during cornering is impossible, because it is not possible to increase loading density that much. They need enough room to stand and are loaded in a standing posture of course, whereas during the journey they may sit and therefore free space might occur. I would argue, that reducing space per animal is no solution with respect to "making the group more stable" at all. It is much more sensible to improve driving and give the animals the room they need. What do you think? With best wishes Stephanie ----------------- Stephanie Gragert Kochstr. 59 04275 Leipzig Germany Tel/Fax +49 341 3304368 S.Gragert@t-online.de From: IN%"meredith@farmline.com" "Michael Meredith" 10-AUG-1999 06:49:00.66 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Ethology Group Posting" CC: Subj: Pigs: soiling of the sleeping area Hi there! At this time of the year in the U.K. we commonly see problems of growing pigs dunging in their sleeping area. Typically they will be in insulated kennels with an outdoor run, or totally indoors in an insulated building. The exercise/feeding area will typically have a slatted or perforated floor. The problem is obviously due to heat stress, but can any of you pig watchers out there tell me what the exact mechanism is? Are the pigs just too hot to move away from the sleeping area, or do they dung there deliberately so that they can wallow in excrement (sounds horrific!) and stay cool while dozing? The area becomes so wet that presumably they are both defaecating and urinating in the sleeping area. Any suggestions will be received with interest! Michael Meredith *=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*+=*+=* Pig Disease Information Centre (PDIC) 4, New Close Farm Business Park Bar Road, Lolworth, Cambs., CB3 8DS, U.K. UK Tel: 01954-780695 UK Fax: 01954-780235 International fax:+44-1954-780235 or +44-1954-780568 M.D.'s Electronic mail: meredith@farmline.com Email: pdic@btinternet.com Website: http://www.PIGHEALTH.COM Members of AHIS (Animal Health Information Specialists) UK & Ireland *=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=* From: IN%"d.arey@ab.sac.ac.uk" 10-AUG-1999 07:11:24.81 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Pigs: soiling of the sleeping area Dear Michael Under thermoneutral temps, pigs dung where they are not lying. When it gets hot they start lying where there is dung, leaving space in the normal lying area where they start dunging. As you'll be only too aware, one area soon becomes undistinguishable from the other. Dale At this time of the year in the U.K. we commonly see problems of growing pigs dunging in their sleeping area. Typically they will be in insulated kennels with an outdoor run, or totally indoors in an insulated building. The exercise/feeding area will typically have a slatted or perforated floor. The problem is obviously due to heat stress, but can any of you pig watchers out there tell me what the exact mechanism is? Are the pigs just too hot to move away from the sleeping area, or do they dung there deliberately so that they can wallow in excrement (sounds horrific!) and stay cool while dozing? The area becomes so wet that presumably they are both defaecating and urinating in the sleeping area. Any suggestions will be received with interest! Michael Meredith *=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*+=*+=* Pig Disease Information Centre (PDIC) 4, New Close Farm Business Park Bar Road, Lolworth, Cambs., CB3 8DS, U.K. UK Tel: 01954-780695 UK Fax: 01954-780235 International fax:+44-1954-780235 or +44-1954-780568 M.D.'s Electronic mail: meredith@farmline.com Email: pdic@btinternet.com Website: http://www.PIGHEALTH.COM Members of AHIS (Animal Health Information Specialists) UK & Ireland *=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=*=+=* Dale Arey GIBiol PhD SAC Animal Biology Division Ferguson Building Craibstone Aberdeen AB21 9YA UK Tel: 01224 711058 From: IN%"d.arey@ab.sac.ac.uk" 10-AUG-1999 07:23:47.71 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: is packing pigs tightly to prevent falling in transport impossible? Dear Stephanie I would agree that driving skill (cornering especially) is more important than cramming pigs in for their own safety. Pigs are quite quick to lie, compared to other species, and so falling is not such a problem. Evidence from sheep (which stand a lot) indicate that when stocking rate is reduced, there is no more bruising and stress levels (as measured from hormone levels) are lower. Dale > Dear All, > > it is no question that a transported pig needs at least as much room as > its body covers when standing or lying plus some extra for changing > posture and moving around. > > I did some measurements on my little dog today, and she (ok she is not a > pig, it was just to get a basic idea) is 0,25 m * 0,5 m when sitting and > 0,25m * 0,75 m when lying or standing. So sitting needs only 66.7 % > (2/3) of the space compared to lying. (I know, that there are much more > complicate calculations to do for space requirements, this is not ment > to be excact, just to show the principle) > > That means, if we generously take these relations for the pig, which is > not accurate of course, in a compartement fully loaded with > pigs there can occur up to 33 % of free room, when all animals are > sitting. > > So, packing them tightly to prevent involuntary animal motion and > falling during cornering is impossible, because it is not possible to > increase loading density that much. > > They need enough room to stand and are loaded in a standing posture of > course, whereas during the journey they may sit and therefore free space > might occur. > > I would argue, that reducing space per animal is no solution with > respect to "making the group more stable" at all. > It is much more sensible to improve driving and give the animals the > room they need. > > What do you think? > > > > With best wishes > > Stephanie > > ----------------- > Stephanie Gragert > Kochstr. 59 > 04275 Leipzig > Germany > Tel/Fax +49 341 3304368 > S.Gragert@t-online.de Dale Arey GIBiol PhD SAC Animal Biology Division Ferguson Building Craibstone Aberdeen AB21 9YA UK Tel: 01224 711058 From: IN%"antbirds@hotmail.com" "Jeff Stratford" 11-AUG-1999 15:35:10.62 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Greetings, I am starting a research project involving the physiological and psychological aspects of habitat selection in birds. Does anyone have a few suggested papers to start with. Thank you, Jeff Stratford ************************************************************ Current: After 1 September 1999: Jeffrey A. Stratford Jeffrey A. Stratford Department of Zoology and 41037 South Range Rd. Wildlife Sciences Apt. 21 Funchess Hall Ponchatoula, LA 70454 Auburn, AL 36849 USA USA ************************************************************ _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com From: IN%"rushenj@EM.AGR.CA" "Jeff Rushen" 12-AUG-1999 09:30:19.93 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: The Wizard of Oz- surely a joke! I found the following on my news service. I assume it is a joke Jeff Rushen TOPEKA, KAN. - The Kansas Board of Education voted Wednesday to remove the theory of evolution = from its science classes, in a major triumph for religious = conservatives fighting science education in U.S. schools.=20 The board voted six to four to adopt new science curriculum guidelines that drop evolution as an underlying principle of biology. The curricula would be used in kindergarten to grade 12 classes.=20 The result shocked educators and established scientists who had opposed the initiative. One board member who = opposed the new policy said the vote was a big blow to = the credibility of Kansas' education system.=20 Earlier, the presidents of Kansas' six = public universities said the initiative would push back Kansas' = school curricula by 100 years.=20 Charles Darwin developed the theory of = evolution in the 19th century as a way to describe the emergence = of new species, including the evolution of primates into = homo sapiens.=20 In 1925, Tennessee tried John Thomas Scopes = for teaching evolution, contrary to a state law.=20 Clarence Darrow defended Scopes, who was = convicted and fined the minimum penalty of $100. The = verdict was reversed on a technicality by the state Supreme = Court.=20 There have been other attempts - in states = such as Arizona, Alabama, Georgia and Nebraska - to ban the = teaching of evolution in public schools.=20 In 1982, an Arkansas court overturned a law = requiring creationism to be taught along with = evolution. The judge said creation science was not valid and unconstitu= tionally mixed church and state.=20 From: IN%"jwillard@turbonet.com" "Janice Willard" 12-AUG-1999 11:05:33.46 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Solar eclipse and animals Hi List members, Several months ago there was some discussion about the question of what animals did during a solar eclipse. Well? What happened? Could those of you who witnessed the last solar eclipse of the Millennium please tell those of us who were not in the path what happened? (I'll admit to a bit of envy; the last solar eclipse I had the opportunity to observe happened on a heavily clouded, rainy day and I always regret not seeing it). What did the animals do? Curiously yours, Janice Willard, DVM, MS Moscow, Idaho, USA From: IN%"rondog@btinternet.com" "JB" 12-AUG-1999 11:28:41.59 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals I was in Portsmouth (UK) where eclipse was supposed to be >97%. I was looking for any changes in the behaviour of gulls, and noticed very little. They kept flying and making a noise exactly as before and after. However, local TV said they had gone silent and stopped flying...fact or media nonsense? My wife said that hedgerow birds where she was (a few miles east) went silent. If this was the case I am not convinced that this was due entirely to the eclipse. At the time of the eclipse we also had a weather front approaching from the West. It became colder and windier as well as darker, for all the world appearing like an approaching storm. Was the change in behaviour due to a misinterpretation in favour of a changing weather pattern? Interesting, Jon From: IN%"JBrody@compuserve.com" "James F. Brody" 12-AUG-1999 11:34:29.19 To: IN%"rushenj@EM.AGR.CA" "Jeff Rushen", IN%"paleopsych@kumo.com" "Paleopsych" CC: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: The Wizard of Oz- surely a joke__NOT Jeff, It's a done deal. However, there are comedic aspects. A bit on another listserve yesterday drew my attention to the"evolutionary" development of software code. A sample of commands is tossed into an electronic broth and "selected" when= they merge into sequences, selected for speed and task accuracy. Long, long sequences of code result that work but no one understands. Intent is to displace human code writing in software development. Kansas may not want to believe in evolution but evolution sure believes i= n = Kansas and will snack on the livelihood of her daughters' husbands. They= will never see it coming and will blame something besides evolution (whic= h doesn't exist). Probably won't blame God but will blame all of us who ha= ve a different idea of about God. Incidentally, I know enclaves in Manhattan that are positive they have evolved beyond evolution or that evolution exists and it doesn't apply to= them. Lots of variability out there! Jim Brody ------------------ http://www10.nytimes.com/library/national/081299kan-evolution-edu.html New York Times August 12, 1999 Kansas Votes to Delete Evolution From State's Science Curriculum By PAM BELLUCK CHICAGO -- The Kansas Board of Education voted on Wednesday to delete virtually any mention of evolution from the state's science curriculum, in one of the most far-reaching efforts by creationists in recent years to challenge the teaching of evolution in schools. While the move does not prevent the teaching of evolution, it will not be included in the state assessment tests that evaluate students' performance in various grades, which may discourage school districts from spending time on the subject. And the decision is likely to embolden local school boards seeking either to remove evolution from their curriculums, to force teachers to raise questions about its validity or to introduce creationist ideas. Some local boards have already said they will consider adopting creationist textbooks, while others have said they will continue teaching evolution. Creationists say a divine being created humans and other species. They say that since evolution cannot be observed or replicated in a laboratory, there is no evidence that it actually occurred. Kansas is the latest state to face a battle over evolution and creationism in recent years. Alabama, New Mexico and Nebraska have made changes that to varying degrees challenge the pre-eminence of evolution in the scientific curriculum, generally labeling it as a theory that is merely one possible explanation. Others, like Texas, Ohio, Washington, New Hampshire and Tennessee, have considered, but ultimately defeated, similar bills, including some that would have required those who teach evolution also to present evidence contradicting it. At the local level, dozens of school boards are trying to make similar changes. More than a decade after the Supreme Court said states could not compel the teaching of creationism, creationists appear to be increasingly active, adopting a new strategy to get around the constitutional issues. Instead of trying to push creationism onto the curriculum, many creationists are trying to keep Darwin out of the classroom or insure that if evolution is taught, it is presented as merely one unproved theory. In Alabama, for example, biology textbooks carry a sticker calling evolution "a controversial theory some scientists present as a scientific explanation for the origin of living things." The disclaimer adds: "No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life's origins should be considered as theory, not fact." Randy Moore, a biology professor at the University of Louisville and editor of the magazine of the National Association of Biology Teachers, said, "It's going on everywhere, and the creationists are winning." He said the issue was so charged in some districts that some teachers simply chose not to teach evolution. Phillip E. Johnson, a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley, who has written books attacking "propaganda" in the teaching of evolution, said defending evolution was becoming "the science educators' Vietnam." The Kansas decision is significant because the new curriculum, which is a guideline, deletes not only most references to biological evolution, but also references to the big bang theory, which holds that the universe was born from a vast explosion, contradicting creationists' biblical interpretation. The new curriculum also includes at least one case study that creationists use to debunk evolution. "The number of changes made, the thoroughness with which references to evolution are deleted or definitions changed, it's more extensive than what we've seen before," said Molleen Matsumura of the National Center for Science Education. Mark Looy of Answers in Genesis, a creationist group, said: "Students in public schools are being taught that evolution is a fact, that they're just products of survival of the fittest. There's not meaning in life if we're just animals in a struggle for survival. It creates a sense of purposelessness and hopelessness, which I think leads to things like pain, murder and suicide." Scientists say that evolution is the cornerstone of biology and that based on fossils, anatomy and genetic evidence, life began on earth about 3.9 billion years ago and humans and other species evolved from a common ancestor. They point out that much science cannot be repeated in a laboratory and yet no one doubts the existence of, say, atoms. Many creationists believe the Bible shows life on earth cannot be more than 10,000 years old. Some have adopted a less religious interpretation, saying the earth was created by an "intelligent designer" because it is simply too complex to be explained any other way. Recently, creationists have been searching for events they say raise doubts about evolution or suggest the world is much younger than scientists claim. One common example is the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helen's, which creationists say proves geologic changes can happen very rapidly. The new Kansas science standards include Mount St. Helen's and Mount Etna as examples that "suggest alternative explanations to scientific hypotheses or theories." The Kansas debate began more than a year ago when the state appointed a committee of 27 scientists and professors to write a state version of new national science guidelines. But when those standards were submitted to the board, a conservative member, Steve Abrams, a former state Republican chairman, said he "had some serious questions about it," claiming "it is not good science to teach evolution as fact." With the help of creationists, Abrams rewrote the standards, deleting most of the two pages on evolution. What remained was "micro-evolution," which refers to genetic adaptation and natural selection within a species. But "macro-evolution," the origin of species, was gone. Abrams also tried to insert these words: "The design and complexity of the design of the cosmos requires an intelligent designer." But after protest from scientists, that sentence was stricken. After months of a 5-to-5 deadlock, the new standards were approved by a vote of 6 to 4, with some anti-evolution board members and others supporting local control. Biologists, like Steve Case, who was on the original standards committee, said that because "evolution is such a unifying principle of biology," the new standards could mean students would be unprepared for college admission tests and college science courses. Some teachers said they would continue to teach evolution and resign if forced not to. Bill Wagnon, a board member who opposed the new standards, said "the effort to emphasize the rock of ages more than the age of rocks" could make Kansas science students "the laughing stock of the world." Gov. Bill Graves, a Republican, also opposed the changes and predicted that the Legislature might try to make the board an appointed, rather than an elected body. The Topeka Capital-Journal recently editorialized that "creationism is as good a hypothesis as any for how the universe began." And even some science teachers underscore the complexity. Lu Bitter, co-chairwoman of the high school science department in Pratt, Kan., said she strongly opposed the new standards and was also fighting a proposal before her school board to adopt a creationist textbook. But she said the school's biology teachers had spent time discussing creationism, as well as evolution. "We've covered all views, read Genesis in the classroom," Mrs. Bitter said. When students leave class, "they know that there are different ways of looking at the way life exists on earth." From: IN%"viktor@animalwelfare.com" "Viktor Reinhardt" 12-AUG-1999 11:41:32.17 To: IN%"applied-ethology-error@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals Hi Janice! I have never witnessed a solar eclipse in company of animals, but I have witnessed a lunar eclipse while observing free ranging cattle in Kenya many years ago. The animals showed a marked reaction to this phenomenon: After the bright full moon light had faded, the herd stetted down for the night .... only to get up again once the eclipse had passed. (I must add, perhaps, that cattle remain relatively active during full moon nights.) Enjoy the next Full Moon, Viktor ---------------------------------------- VISIT THE MONKEYS AT: http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/pef/slide/intro.html Viktor Reinhardt Animal Welfare Institute 4605 Crescent Road Madison, WI 53711 USA E-mail address: viktor@animalwelfare.com From: IN%"furpersn@fred.net" "Nancy J Sheedy" 12-AUG-1999 11:43:46.48 To: IN%"rushenj@EM.AGR.CA" "Jeff Rushen", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: The Wizard of Oz- surely a joke! It's a joke, but it's true. Nancy Sheedy RIGHT START Training, Frederick, MD "Tell me when I've got it right" furpersn@fred.net From: IN%"Uknierim@Itt.tiho-hannover.de" "Ute Knierim" 12-AUG-1999 12:56:25.91 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals > If this was the case I am not convinced that this was due entirely to the > eclipse. > At the time of the eclipse we also had a weather front approaching from the > West. > It became colder and windier as well as darker, for all the world appearing > like an approaching storm. I doubt that the colder and darker conditions were only due to the approaching weather front. We had clear and sunny weather when the 90% eclipse caused an impressive fall of temperature. However, light decreased too little to cause any obvious behavioural change in the grazing cows and sheep that I could observe. Ute ********************************************************************* Dr. Ute Knierim Institut fuer Tierhygiene und Tierschutz Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover Institute of Animal Hygiene and Welfare School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Buenteweg 17 p D-30559 Hannover Tel +49 (0)511 953 8449 Fax +49 (0)511 953 8588 uknierim@itt.tiho-hannover.de ************************************************************************** From: IN%"jpgarner@ucdavis.edu" 12-AUG-1999 13:52:07.16 To: IN%"rondog@btinternet.com" "'JB'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals Um, i don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but birds going silent in an eclipse is pretty much what you'd expect. When i was working with blue tits and marsh tits two years ago, our preferred handling method was to switch of the lgihts in the colony room, and illuminate a handling box attached to the cage. As soon as the lgiths go out the birds fall silent and stop flying around, and will either fly straight into the box, or can be coaxed in there relatively easily. The minute you switch the lgihts back on, all the birds in the colony start singing and flying about again happy as clams. So when the moon momentarily switches the light out, i for one am unsurprised that small songbirds stopped singing. bah humbug Joe ___________________________ Joseph Garner Univeristy of California Department of Animal Science One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA Phone: (530) 754 5291 > -----Original Message----- > From: JB [mailto:rondog@btinternet.com] > Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 10:20 AM > To: applied-ethology@skyway.usask.ca > Subject: Re: Solar eclipse and animals > > > I was in Portsmouth (UK) where eclipse was supposed to be >97%. > > I was looking for any changes in the behaviour of gulls, and > noticed very > little. > They kept flying and making a noise exactly as before and after. > > However, local TV said they had gone silent and stopped > flying...fact or > media nonsense? > > My wife said that hedgerow birds where she was (a few miles east) went > silent. > > If this was the case I am not convinced that this was due > entirely to the > eclipse. > At the time of the eclipse we also had a weather front > approaching from the > West. > It became colder and windier as well as darker, for all the > world appearing > like an approaching storm. > Was the change in behaviour due to a misinterpretation in favour of a > changing weather pattern? > > Interesting, > > Jon From: IN%"rondog@btinternet.com" "JB" 12-AUG-1999 16:02:25.90 To: IN%"Uknierim@Itt.tiho-hannover.de" "Ute Knierim", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals > I doubt that the colder and darker conditions were only due to the > approaching weather front. We had clear and sunny weather when the > 90% eclipse caused an impressive fall of temperature. However, light > decreased too little to cause any obvious behavioural change in the > grazing cows and sheep that I could observe. Dear Ute, You misread what I wrote, perhaps I was not sufficiently precise. In the sentence: > If this was the case I am not convinced that this was due entirely to the > eclipse. the second 'this' referred to the behavioural change of the birds, not the darkness and temp change. I am aware that the change of temp etc. were due to the eclipse, I was merely observing that in the presence of other indicators of an impending storm (pressure changes, ionisation, a visible weather front, etc) which had been present for some hours, the darkening of the sky and sudden temperature change could easily be mistaken as part of an impending weather phenomenon. The gulls overhead where I was did not respond to the changes, but hedgerow birds apparently did. The birds in our garden also tend to shut up and roost when there is a storm, and then come out again and make a lot of noise afterwards. I was suggesting that any difference in behaviour might be associated with species specific responses to inclement weather. the gulls didn't do anything different but the hedgerow birds did. explanations in the media have implied that the behavioural changes relate to confusion over time of day. Since many birds detect sun position according to the plane of polarised light, then they would be unlikely to be fooled into thinking it was night. Perhaps species specific responses to weather patterns is an alternative? Jon From: IN%"rondog@btinternet.com" "JB" 12-AUG-1999 16:20:44.04 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals > Um, i don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but birds going silent in an > eclipse is pretty much what you'd expect. When i was working with blue tits > and marsh tits two years ago, our preferred handling method was to switch of > the lgihts in the colony room, and illuminate a handling box attached to the > cage. As soon as the lgiths go out the birds fall silent and stop flying > around, and will either fly straight into the box, or can be coaxed in there > relatively easily. The minute you switch the lgihts back on, all the birds > in the colony start singing and flying about again happy as clams. So when > the moon momentarily switches the light out, i for one am unsurprised that > small songbirds stopped singing. Yeah, I knew about this. However, I was quite surprised that the birds would have been bothered by the light change that we experienced because although the eclipse where I was should have been >97%, it was actually no darker than it would be at about 30 mins pre-dusk on a summer day. Most of the people I was with were quite surprised when it began to become light again because they couldn't believe that they had stood outside for half an hour just to see it get 'gloomy'! Plenty of birds around here are active at dusk, and it was certainly no darker than that. When the eclipse came, the only ones I know were active were the gulls. The change of light level on its own didn't seem to be enough to trigger the response you describe, but do birds respond more to rate of change of illumination rather than the level? From: IN%"jpgarner@ucdavis.edu" 12-AUG-1999 16:33:15.35 To: IN%"rondog@btinternet.com" "'JB'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals Um, dunno Your story just reminded me of how amazed i was when i first saw the response of our colony birds to the room lights being switched off and on again. anyone else out there? Joe > -----Original Message----- > From: JB [mailto:rondog@btinternet.com] > Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 3:13 PM > To: applied-ethology@skyway.usask.ca > Subject: Re: Solar eclipse and animals > > > > > Um, i don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but birds > going silent in an > > eclipse is pretty much what you'd expect. When i was > working with blue > tits > > and marsh tits two years ago, our preferred handling method > was to switch > of > > the lgihts in the colony room, and illuminate a handling > box attached to > the > > cage. As soon as the lgiths go out the birds fall silent > and stop flying > > around, and will either fly straight into the box, or can > be coaxed in > there > > relatively easily. The minute you switch the lgihts back > on, all the birds > > in the colony start singing and flying about again happy as > clams. So when > > the moon momentarily switches the light out, i for one am > unsurprised that > > small songbirds stopped singing. > > > Yeah, I knew about this. > > However, I was quite surprised that the birds would have been > bothered by > the light change that we experienced because although the > eclipse where I > was should have been >97%, it was actually no darker than it > would be at > about 30 mins pre-dusk on a summer day. > Most of the people I was with were quite surprised when it > began to become > light again because they couldn't believe that they had stood > outside for > half an hour just to see it get 'gloomy'! > Plenty of birds around here are active at dusk, and it was > certainly no > darker than that. > > When the eclipse came, the only ones I know were active were > the gulls. > > The change of light level on its own didn't seem to be enough > to trigger the > response you describe, but do birds respond more to rate of change of > illumination rather than the level? From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 12-AUG-1999 22:32:18.27 To: IN%"rushenj@EM.AGR.CA" "'Jeff Rushen'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology@skyway.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: The Wizard of Oz- surely a joke! I was watching something on TV called South Park (by accident I swear!) The cartoon characters drove past a sign saying "You Are Entering Nebraska - Sorry!" Sums it up for me. Robin "If anyone wanted to kill children they don't need a gun they could use a cricket bat" His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh (on the move to ban handgun ownership after the Dunblane massacre). Key Words: Charlton Heston; cricket bats; baseball bats; completely bats; inbreeding. -----Original Message----- From: Jeff Rushen [SMTP:rushenj@EM.AGR.CA] Sent: 12 August 1999 16:22 To: applied-ethology@skyway.usask.ca Subject: The Wizard of Oz- surely a joke! I found the following on my news service. I assume it is a joke Jeff Rushen TOPEKA, KAN. - The Kansas Board of Education voted Wednesday to remove the theory of evolution from its science classes, in a major triumph for religious conservatives fighting science education in U.S. schools. From: IN%"Christoph.Wenzel@tierhyg.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de" 13-AUG-1999 00:46:44.79 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Solar eclipse and animals Dear all, I observed a herd of 9 cows in the 100% zone near Munich. 15 minutes before total eclipse 2 cows were vocalizing. Possibly that was due to some other sun watchers near the pasture. But vocalisation occured only two or three times on the first day during three day observation. Unfortunately it started raining some minutes before the total eclipse. So cows went under 6 apple-trees to prevent themselves. But in comparison to other rainy situations all nine cows instead of 6 or 7 went there. During darkness they all stood still, I could not observe jaw movements or any other motion. They seemed to be in attention. After total eclipse cows started moving, sniffing around and ruminating. In my opinion cows showed the typical behaviour of animals living in a herd during an unclear situation (herd instinct). They were seeking the near of other herd members to be prevented and to be able to respond to the situation. In opposite to birds they didn't await the end of the day or anything else what is normal in their life. Yours sincerely Christoph Wenzel Institute for animal hygiene, ethology and animal welfare - Munich From: IN%"rc_rutt@ndirect.co.uk" "Chris Rutt" 13-AUG-1999 00:57:12.04 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology List" CC: Subj: Fw: Solar eclipse and animals -----Original Message----- From: Chris Rutt To: Ute Knierim Date: 12 August 1999 22:57 Subject: Re: Solar eclipse and animals >> >>I doubt that the colder and darker conditions were only due to the >>approaching weather front. We had clear and sunny weather when the >>90% eclipse caused an impressive fall of temperature. However, light >>decreased too little to cause any obvious behavioural change in the >>grazing cows and sheep that I could observe. >> >>Ute > >In clear and sunny weather at this location, we had 95% eclipse. No unusual >behaviour to be seen in my cats or my aviaries of Lovebirds. > >In the area of totality in SW UK one TV station reported sea gulls making >"pre-roosting" calls. I don't know enough about gulls to comment. An >astronomer who "chases" eclipse reported frigate birds being "confused" at a >previous eclipse but he is an astronomer, not an ethologist ! > > >Best wishes > >Chris Rutt (UK) > >rc_rutt@ndirect.co.uk >http://www.rc-rutt.ndirect.co.uk From: IN%"eva.joris@commit.gm" "Eva Joris" 13-AUG-1999 01:17:03.51 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Solar eclipse Dear All, I went to north France to see the total eclipse but it was cloudy and rainy (Janice!). The effect however was there. The colors that fade away, the suddenness. And it went quite (Cars stopped moving!) but of course as it was not my normal habitat I do not know if it was very different. But I can imagine that there is a difference for animals from from for example a thunderstorm and that they take a waiting attitude. The I lived for a while in Uganda in Fort Portal were earth shocks were regular and everything also stopped (crickets, birds, frogs) when there was a shock as if everything was waiting what would come next. I guess it is a bit the same. My 5 years old son behaved strange yes, he started to run and run and refused to come back which made his mum panick (I did not know how dark it would get), he was quite happy. Did he feel someting or did he just NOT notice the sudden darkness. Hard to say, he says he just went for a walk. Eva Joris. eva.joris@commit.gm eva_joris@hotmail.com ----- MailStart Plus - http://www.mailstartplus.com Consolidate Your Mailboxes Into an Organized, Filtered, Spell-Checked, Anywhere, Anytime WebBox From: IN%"chris.sherwin@bristol.ac.uk" 13-AUG-1999 03:30:38.17 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: solar eclipse and animals Dear All, Having just returned from Newquay, one of the few places on mainland Britain where the clouds parted long enough to see the eclipse in totality (said he, not at all smuggly ;-) ), I can confirm that gulls in this area were considerably affected by the solar eclipse. The sky was much darker than I had expected (enough to turn on automatic street lights) and for the 2 mins of totality, the gulls stopped calling and flying. Some landed on the beach and stood silently, but I'm afraid I was so much in awe of the spectacle I didn't note where the others had gone. Once totality was over, the increase in light intensity (which was a beautiful shade of gentle pink) and temperature was very rapid, and the gulls behaviour returned to normal within a couple of minutes. Perhaps the lack of changes in animal behaviour reported in other postings is because changes only occur in regions which experience a total eclipse? I would also like to note that after the eclipse there was an air-display and the town-gulls (which one might imagine would have habituated to many varioous stimuli) were extermely frightened by a group of formation parachutists and the red-arrows aerial display team! All in all, a bad day to be a seagull in Newquay! Regards Chris ---------------------- Chris Sherwin Division of Animal Health and Husbandry University of Bristol Langford House Langford Bristol BS40 5DU Phone: (0117) 928 9486 Fax: (0117) 928 9582 E-mail chris.sherwin@bris.ac.uk From: IN%"Knut.Niebuhr@vu-wien.ac.at" "Knut Niebuhr" 13-AUG-1999 05:21:48.31 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Solar eclipse and animals Hi all, some other anectodical observations I was observing a flock of 1500 free-range laying hens south of Vienna just a bit north of the border to the zone of total solar eclipse. Though the eclipse was not complete I could not distinguish the animals anymore inside the hen house (with windows) due to the darkness at the moment of almost complete eclipse. But I could observe neither just before or after more than five hens on the perches. They definetely did not go to roost. More, the opposite happened. As the weather was rather hot and sunny, the birds started to move outside the hen house to forage in the time before the eclipse. At the time when it got almost dark, definetely more hens (app. 500 versus 300 30 min before) were outside on the range and they were much more scattered. So in my opinion the birds behaved just as you would expect on a hot and sunny day at midday, when a cloud covers the sun for some minutes. Unfortunately I can't comment on vocalisations in the hen house as I was too busy counting and observing the hens outside and watching the sun. Just 30 sec after the almost total eclipse a Corvus corone was flying along the hen house. There was a difference though for the hens: The had to flee five times as often as on normal days from aircrafts, which were heading towards the core zone of the total eclipse or coming back from there. Yours Knut Knut Niebuhr Institut f=FCr Tierhaltung und Tierschutz Veterin=E4rmedizinische Universit=E4t Wien Veterin=E4rplatz 1 A-1210 Wien Tel. +43 (1) 250 77 4906, Fax +43 (1) 250 77 4990 e-mail: Knut.Niebuhr@vu-wien.ac.at From: IN%"robert.orr@bbsrc.ac.uk" "robert.orr" 13-AUG-1999 06:11:46.57 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Eclipse Dear all, # #Several months ago there was some discussion about the question of what #animals did during a solar eclipse. Well? What happened? # #Janice Willard, DVM, MS #Moscow, Idaho, USA # In the UK, Mark Rutter and colleagues have been measuring grazing behaviour using the IGER behaviour recorders (AABS, 54:185-195) on 4 replicate groups of 3 dairy cows in Cornwall (SW England) for the 5 days before the eclipse and they will continue measuring for 5 days afterwards. The site experienced 'totality' for about 2 minutes duration and light meters registered 0 lux. On the day of the eclipse, the cows were lying down ruminating as the eclipse began and continued to do so throughout the period of totality. However, provisional results suggest their subsequent meal pattern was disrupted compared to that observed on the five previous days and on the following day. The early afternoon meal (following the period of totality) lasted for longer than normal. They then missed their normal mid-afternoon meal and their evening meal was shorter than usual. The normal pattern appeared to be restored by the next day. This suggests that the cows were behaving as if dawn had occurred at 11:15. These are obviously initial results and we await with interest for a more-complete analysis. Here in Devon (98% totality) we had cloud cover, but we still enjoyed the awesome experience. Rooks returned to their roost as light levels decreased. But of course, this was, like other observations reported on the list, only an uncontrolled observation - Mark has used the opportunity to do something more robust. Robert Orr IGER North Wyke Devon UK From: IN%"JSWANSON@oz.oznet.ksu.edu" 13-AUG-1999 09:13:04.18 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Scopes revisited Dear Colleagues, For those of us living in the Land of "Odd" this is not very comedic. I fully anticipate a legal battle to ensue with me and several hundred other scientists and educators in Kansas working to reverse this act of ignorance. I suspect the core of the issue stems from the inability to exercise school prayer so they have decided to strike back. The members of the Board were careful not to mention creationism during their final discussions. But we all know what was implied. There has been a calculated move by the hard right Christians to run for, and successfully occupy, political offices at the state and federal level. Most of these folks know little to nothing about the theory of evolution and have never made a scholarly attempt to fully understand what it is and what it is not. Case in point..the Board contemplated allowing the teaching of natural selection...duh! I plan to talk about this at the ISAE teaching workshop next week in Lillehammer. Meanwhile I would like for you to know that many Kansans are outraged that the Board of Ed has taken this action. The war room is assembled. Janice Swanson From: IN%"mlinnane@MOOREPARK.TEAGASC.IE" "MARY LINNANE" 13-AUG-1999 09:35:59.93 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Solar eclipse Dear all, Kent, McElligott and Budgey (1997) published a paper regarding the ground roosting behaviour of a population of semi-feral domestic hens in The Gambia, West Africa. Mean daily light intensity increased over the duration of the study but time of sunset and day-length remained unchanged. Consequently the rate of decline of light intensity at dusk also increased over the study period. Hens were found to" roost significantly later in the day, and at lower light levels, over the course of the study". These results suggest that the cue to start roosting is a particular light intensity which is constant over the season. However, a "settling period" required before final roosting meant that hens went to roost at later times and lower light levels as the season progressed. The authors suggest that although they consider light intensity the strongest candidate for the stimulus to initiate roosting, that it may not be the main factor but may be temporally related to other variables. Could this be a reason for an apparent lack ot response by some bird species to the eclipse? Maybe i'm interpreting things incorrectly - i'm sure someone will correct me! Might the apparent lack of response to the changing light levels and temperatures around the time of the eclipse then be due to the fact that the eclipse happened at a non-photosensitve time? Entrainment to circadian rhythms and zeitgebers, (all of which i find confusing!) spring to mind. I suppose responses to various stimuli are species specific. Kent's paper says that there was no evidence to suggest that the birds in his study used an internal zeitgeber to measure time and therefore to provide a cue for roosting. Am i wrong, or does this mean that the birds in this study would have initiated roosting when the threshold light intensity was produced by the eclipse? Robert Orr's statement regarding the provisional result that the meal pattern of the cows in Cornwall was disrupted subsequent to the eclipse and that the cows appeared to be behaving as if sunrise occurred at 11:15 is very interesting. Is it saying that the cows were responding to the light intensity changes like the hens in The Gambia? If the cows behaved as if dawn had occurred at 11:15 and meal patterns were temporarilly disrupted then where does this leave various other controls of feeding patterns? I'm interested, but confused! Mary Linnane From: IN%"eoprice@ucdavis.edu" "Edward O. Price" 13-AUG-1999 13:27:12.88 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'Applied Ethology Network'", IN%"owner-ncr131@SDSUVM.SDSTATE.EDU" "owner-ncr131" CC: IN%"GBAnderson@asmail.ucdavis.edu" "Gary B. Anderson", IN%"ajsillman@ucdavis.edu" "'Arnold Sillman '" Subj: Professor Gary Moberg Passes Away Dear All: It is with great sadness that I must inform you that Gary Moberg died this morning of an apparent heart attack. Gary had been on the faculty in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis since 1970 and was considered one of the world's top scientists working on the biology of animal stress. In recent years he also served as Associate Dean for the Division of Animal Biology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, a position he vacated on July 1st. He will be greatly missed as a colleague and friend. Gary was 58. Condolences can be sent to his wife, Sydney, at 2654 Emerald Bay Drive, Davis, CA 95616. Ed Price eoprice@ucdavis.edu From: IN%"GPQUINLAN@aol.com" 13-AUG-1999 16:08:34.28 To: IN%"PETBEHVR@aol.com" CC: Subj: dog behavior Hello fellow behaviorist, this may be a little controversial, but I felt I needed to share this with you all. Important information when dealing with dog behavior. If you religiously follow all of the rules on this Official DON'T list, > >you'll never get in trouble again. > > ~~ The Official Dog Enthusiast's DON'T List ~~ > >DON'T leave your dog outside when you leave the house. Someone could come by > >and steal it and sell it to an animal research facility. > > > >DON'T Leave your dog inside when you leave the house. Your house could catch > >on fire. > > > >DON'T let your dog sleep in your bed. It will cause aggression problems >down > >the road. > > > >DON'T make your dog sleep in a crate. Crate is just another word for small > >cage. > > > >DON'T let your dog sleep outside at night. If God had wanted dogs to sleep > >outside, he would have covered their body with hair to keep them warm. > > > >DON'T let your dog sleep. You should be playing with him all the time. > > > >DON'T keep more than two dogs. Each individual dog requires considerable > >time and energy, and it is impossible for a responsible dog owner to spend > >quality time with more than two dogs. > > > >DON'T keep less than five dogs. Dogs are pack animals, and five dogs is the > >minimum number for proper socialization. > > > >DON'T feed your dog kibble. Kibble is the invention of evil capitalists who > >want your money, and kibble has no nutritional value whatsoever. You might > >as well feed your dog sawdust. > > > >DON'T cook your dog's meat or chicken. Cooking destroys all the nutrients. > > > >DON'T feed your dog raw meat or raw chicken. Raw food contains salmonella, > >e-coli, and other harmful bacteria. > > > >DON'T let your dog drink out of a plastic bowl. It will turn his nose pink. > > > >DON'T post messages to a dog list. You will surely get bopped on the head > >for thinking that someone else cares about your silly little opinions. > > > >DON'T poke your eye with a sharp stick. It has nothing to do with dogs, but > >it's a good rule nonetheless. > > > >DON'T microchip your dog. A nearby cell phone can cause a microchipped dog > >to explode, or so says the lady running the tattoo booth. > > > >DON'T tattoo your dog on the ear. A dog thief will cut off the tattooed >ear. > > > >DON'T tattoo your dog on the thigh. He'll be a tripod before you can say > >Ginsu. > > > >DON'T keep a collar on your dog when unattended. He could get caught on > >something and choke. > > > >DON'T leave your dog unattended without a collar. He could run away without > >any identification. > > > >DON'T transport your dog in a plastic crate. Plastic crates don't allow > >sufficient air flow. > > > >DON'T transport your dog in a wire crate. In a car accident, a wire crate > >transforms into a doggie skewer. On days you plan to have a car accident, > >it's acceptable to use a plastic crate. > > > >DON'T let your dog drive. It's against the law in many states. > > > >DON'T enter your dog in conformation. It's b-o-r-i-n-g for the dog. > > > >DON'T enter your dog in obedience. It's B-o-r-i-n-g with a capital "B." > > > >DON'T enter your dog in agility. The jumps will injure his joints. > > > >DON'T send your dog out with a handler. Only a psychopath would send their > >beloved pet with a complete stranger. > > > >DON'T handle your dog yourself. You've got a great dog, and he deserves a > >much better handler than you will ever be. > > > >DON'T get a purebred dog. Too much inbreeding has produced dogs with > >temperament and health problems. > > > >DON'T get a mutt. You don't know anything about their pedigree. In fact, >if > >you're thinking about getting a dog, get a cat instead. > > > >DON'T don't. That's right, you heard me, just don't! > > > >DON'T leave your dog's dewclaws intact. He will rip one off jumping a log >or > >something, which is quite painful. > > > >DON'T remove your dog's dewclaws. Dewclaws are acupuncture points that are > >needed for proper functioning of the kidneys. > > > >AND, the #1 DON'T .... > > > >DON'T trim your dog's whiskers. Dogs use their whiskers to determine the > >size of their head, which is important when they are out shopping for a new > >hat. > > From: IN%"bregman@interactive.net" "VIVIAN BREGMAN" 15-AUG-1999 04:52:06.37 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: The Wizard of Oz- surely a joke! At 11:21 AM 08/12/1999 -0400, you wrote: >I found the following on my news service. I assume it is a joke >Jeff Rushen > >TOPEKA, KAN. - The Kansas Board of Education voted > Wednesday to remove the theory of evolution from its science > classes, in a major triumph for religious conservatives fighting > science education in U.S. schools. It was on the front page of the NY Times. No joke unfortunately. Vivian Vivian Bregman -- dog trainer for forty years -- interested in everything to do with science, especially Biology --- vbregman@interactive.net From: IN%"john.kent@ucd.ie" 15-AUG-1999 16:14:18.86 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: (Fwd) Re: Solar eclipse ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- From: Self Thanks to Mary for the thoughtful comments. With regard to the partial eclipse at Ballyrichard (52.83'N, 6.13'W), temperatures dropped from 15.3'C earlier on the morning of the 11-8-1999 to 13.2'C at 11.25 climbing steadily to 13.6' at 11.32am, 13.8' at 11.36, 14.3'C at 11.43am, 14.9'C at 11.50am. Lux levels dropped dramatically also. With regard to behavioural observations. Eight flocks of breeding geese,( N ranging from 9 to 42 birds ) were observed to move towards the yard gate as would occur in the evening at dusk. They did not have access to yards due to the shut gates. Younger geese (born in 1999) did not move towards the yards and continued to graze. Normally young geese go to roost later than older birds and graze much later than older birds, perhaps due to their nutritional needs being greater. The eclipse was of short duration, and the geese soon returned to grazing. Robert Orr's findings are most interesting. No apparent change in behaviour during the eclipse, but effects were apparent later. Knut Niebuhr, with fowl observation is also interesting. It must be remembered that the roosting in fowl is a circadian phenonamen, occurring at a certain light level but in the context of a circadian rhythm, ie at the end of the day. Adult geese (in contrast to young geese) are particularly sensitive to enviromental changes (eg. presence of helicopters) and this may in part explain the differences in the behaviour of young and old geese. With regard to Mary's concern about the Kent, McElligott and Budgey paper, suggesting that there was no evidence in the Gambia of the hens using a an internal clock to measure time. In The Gambia the day length is relatively stable and the detecting of such an internal clock effect is therefore difficult. Other workers have shown that roosting occurs in the context of a diurnal rhythm (see Kent, McElligott and Budgey for references). The observations of Knut Niebuhl support this. Further, work on the venetian blind effect in hens (Newberry & Shackleton 1997, Use of Visual Cover by domestic fowl: a venetian blind effect. Animal, Behav 54, 387-395) demonstrate that domestic fowl have a tendency to avoid very bright light (see also Davis et al, 1999 Animal Welfare, 8 p 193-203). Thus the eclipse may in certain contexts of very bright light be welcome, providing welcome shade. While changes in behaviour of the hens of Knut Niebuhr may have not been observed or should I say noticed, they could still occur as the work of Orr demonstrates very well. John P. Kent > Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 16:01:47 +0000 > From: MARY LINNANE > Subject: Solar eclipse > To: Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca > Organization: Teagasc Moorepark > Priority: normal > Dear all, > > Kent, McElligott and Budgey (1997) published a paper regarding the > ground roosting behaviour of a population of semi-feral domestic > hens in The Gambia, West Africa. Mean daily light intensity > increased over the duration of the study but time of sunset and > day-length remained unchanged. Consequently the rate of decline of > light intensity at dusk also increased over the study period. > Hens were found to" roost significantly later in the day, and at > lower light levels, over the course of the study". These results > suggest that the cue to start roosting is a particular light > intensity which is constant over the season. However, a "settling > period" required before final roosting meant that hens went to roost > at later times and lower light levels as the season progressed. The > authors suggest that although they consider light intensity the > strongest candidate for the stimulus to initiate roosting, that it > may not be the main factor but may be temporally related to > other variables. Could this be a reason for an apparent lack ot > response by some bird species to the eclipse? > > Maybe i'm interpreting things incorrectly - i'm sure someone will > correct me! Might the apparent lack of response to the changing > light levels and temperatures around the time of the eclipse then be > due to the fact that the eclipse happened at a non-photosensitve > time? > > Entrainment to circadian rhythms and zeitgebers, (all of which i > find confusing!) spring to mind. I suppose responses to various > stimuli are species specific. Kent's paper says that there was no > evidence to suggest that the birds in his study used an internal > zeitgeber to measure time and therefore to provide a cue for > roosting. Am i wrong, or does this mean that the birds in this study > would have initiated roosting when the threshold light intensity was > produced by the eclipse? > > Robert Orr's statement regarding the provisional result that the meal > pattern of the cows in Cornwall was disrupted subsequent to the > eclipse and that the cows appeared to be behaving as if sunrise > occurred at 11:15 is very interesting. Is it saying that the cows > were responding to the light intensity changes like the hens in The > Gambia? If the cows behaved as if dawn had occurred at 11:15 and > meal patterns were temporarilly disrupted then where does this leave > various other controls of feeding patterns? > > I'm interested, but confused! > > Mary Linnane > > > J.P. Kent, Ballyrichard Hs., Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Ph +353-(0)402-32384 Fax +353-(0)402-31810