Abstract:
Sound understanding of the normal behavior (BE) of an animal is important to
assess its welfare. Goats as browsers, perform specific grazing pattern once they
free to graze in a free range system (FRS). By keeping goats in houses certain BEs
are restricted leading to some welfare problems. Objective of this study was to
understand the welfare restrictions via behavior changes when goats kept in a
stilted/slated houses (SH). BE of 5 randomly selected Sanan, Jamnapari cross bred
female goats (14Kg-37Kg) from a 20 animal flock was assessed under both rearing
systems (RS) by scan sampling. Frequency and time spent on nineteen BEs
[standing(ST), resting(RE), freezing(FZ), walking(WK), lying(LY), eating(ET),
head movement(HM), animal interaction(AI), saltating(SL), body shaking(BS),
drinking(DR), running(RN), rumination(RU), licking(Ll), chattering(CH),
chirping(CP), wagging tail(WT),sniffing(SF) and other(OT)] made at every 2
minutes were recorded for 4 morning and evening sessions of the day. RS
significantly(p<0.05) influenced on 53% of BEs.
Highest time spe?it on ET than any other BEs in both systems. Restriction of ET
observed under SH (19.57%) compared to FRS (34.76%). RS*Session interaction
significantly affected on FZ, WK, ET showing highest values for FZ( 10.54%),
ground level eating[GLE](25.8%)in the morning and evening respectively at SH
whereas WK(27.19%); total eating [TE](32.76%) in the evening, upper level eating
[ULE] (11.39%) in the morning in FRS. ST, WK, ET, AI, BS, RN, RU, LI, WT and
OT were significantly affected (p<0.05) by the RS. Out of total time budget, goats
spent on ST(19.83%), WK(18.4%) and RU(11.93%) under SH. RU significantly
higher in the evening (17.39%) compared with morning (6.47%). Most frequent
BEs under FRS were WK(25.79%), ET(32.33%) and WT(12.73%). Neither RS nor
Session affected on RE, LY, HM, SL, DR, CH, CP and SF. Among OT behaviours
observed in SH, stereotypic and bar biting BEs were prominent that shows the
animals are in stress at SH. It is concluded that by keeping the goats in SHs most of
the BEs are restricted leading to welfare problems.
