Goat behaviour studies is the branch of applied ethology that examines the behaviour of domestic goats (Capra hircus) in managed husbandry as a basis for assessing their welfare [1]. The field documents species-typical patterns that distinguish goats from other farmed ruminants, notably a tendency to browse forages in varied postures and at heights above ground level rather than only from the ground [2]. Social behaviour is a second core area, encompassing gregariousness, dominance hierarchies that structure access to resources, and the effects of group management on welfare [3][4]. Research extends to affective states, cognition and individual differences in personality, which are used to interpret behavioural responses and to derive animal-based welfare indicators [1][4].
- goat behaviour
- browsing
- gregariousness
- dominance hierarchy
- animal welfare
References
- Marianne A. Mason; Elodie F. Briefer; Stuart Semple; Alan G. McElligott. Goat Emotions, Cognition, and Personality; Springer Nature: Durham, NC, United States, 2024; pp. 77-120. [CrossRef]
- Marjorie Cellier; Birte L. Nielsen; Christine Duvaux-Ponter; Hannah B. R. Freeman; Rina Hannaford; Briar Murphy; Emma O'COnnor; Kevan R. L. Cote; Heather W. Neave; Gosia Zobel; et al. Browse or browsing: Investigating goat preferences for feeding posture, feeding height and feed type. Front. Vet. Sci. 2022, 9, 1032631, 10.3389/fvets.2022.1032631.
- G.C. Miranda-De la Lama; S. Mattiello; The importance of social behaviour for goat welfare in livestock farming. Small Rumin. Res. 2010, 90, 1-10, 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2010.01.006.
- M Mazurek; M Marie; D Desor; Potential animal-centred indicators of dairy goat welfare. Anim. Welf. 2007, 16, 161-164, 10.1017/s0962728600031237.