Types of Behavior

• In general, there are two kinds of behavior of animal’s i.e. normal and abnormal behavior.
• Normal behavior includes Maintenance (Social, agonistic, ingestive, body care and thermoregulatory) and Reproductive.
• Abnormal behavior includes tail-biting, feather-pecking and crib-biting.
• Some of the important behavior are discussed below:

a. Instinctive or Innate Behavior

• Behavior that is inborn and genetically programmed, not learned.
• Animals perform it without prior experience or training.

Examples:

• Suckling reflex in calves, piglets, and lambs.
• Nest-building in birds.
• Courtship rituals in peafowl.

b. Learned Behavior

• Behavior acquired through experience, practice, or observation.
• Enhances adaptability to changing environments.

Types of learned behavior:

i. Habituation: animal learns to ignore a repeated, harmless stimulus (e.g., cattle ignoring vehicles after repeated exposure).

ii. Conditioning: association of a stimulus with a response (e.g., Pavlov’s dogs salivating at the sound of a bell).

iii. Imprinting: rapid learning occurring during a sensitive period, often irreversible (e.g., ducklings following the first moving object they see).

iv. Observational learning: learning by watching others (e.g., young primates learning tool use).

c. Social Behaviour

• Behaviour shown in interaction with members of the same species.
• Important in herd or flock animals.

Examples:

• Establishment of dominance hierarchy (pecking order in poultry).
• Grooming behaviour in primates and cattle.
• Maternal care in mammals.

d. Sexual and Reproductive Behaviour

• Related to courtship, mating, and parental care.

Examples:

• Mounting behaviour in cattle.
• Courtship displays in peafowl and turkeys.
• Nest-building and brooding in hens.

e. Feeding Behaviour

• Behaviour associated with food selection, acquisition, and consumption.

Examples:

• Grazing and rumination in cattle, sheep, and goats.
• Pecking in poultry.
• Predatory hunting in carnivores.

f. Maternal and Neonatal Behaviour

• Behaviour of the mother and newborn.

Examples:

• Mother licking the newborn to stimulate breathing and bonding.
• Calves and lambs following their mothers.

g. Eliminative Behaviour

• Behaviour related to defecation and urination.

Examples:

• Cattle defecating more when stressed.
• Horses preferring specific sites for elimination.

h. Shelter-Seeking and Comfort Behaviour

• Behaviour aimed at protection and comfort.

Examples:

• Pigs wallowing in mud to cool themselves.
• Cattle seeking shade during hot weather.
• Dust bathing in poultry.

i. Investigative and Exploratory Behaviour

• Curiosity-driven behaviour where animals explore surroundings.

Examples:

• Pigs rooting the soil.
• Cattle sniffing and licking new objects.

j. Abnormal Behaviour (Stereotypies)

• Repetitive, invariant, and purposeless behaviour often linked to stress, poor housing, or frustration.

Examples:

• Bar biting in pigs.
• Crib-biting in horses.
• Excessive licking or self-mutilation in dogs.