Abstract
Previous analyses of feeding behaviour have either ignored the bouted structure of that behaviour or used log-survivorship analysis for the estimation of bout criteria. The latter is based on the null hypothesis that feeding behaviour is random within as well as between bouts. We falsify this null hypothesis by analysing how specific feeding events (such as visits to a feeder) by animals of a number species are distributed in time. They all show bouted, but non-random, feeding behaviour with a similar structure. This is caused by satiety at the end of feeding bouts, followed by an increase in the probability of animals starting to eat with time since feeding last. This results in a skewed normal distribution of the population of longer between-feeding, i.e. between-meal, intervals, which can be (almost) normalised by log-transformation of interval lengths. We show that either a Gaussian (for pooled data sets) or a Weibull (for individuals or data pooled across animals with similar feeding strategies) give excellent descriptions of the distribution of this population of log-transformed interval lengths. Depending on species, methodology and individual animal habits there may be one or more population(s) of shorter (i.e. within-meal) intervals. We developed methods that allow estimation of meal criteria even if the number of within-meal interval populations and their shape are not exactly known. Because the structure of feeding behaviour is the same across species, similar models to estimate bout criteria can be applied to data obtained with animals of species as diverse as cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and dolphins. We demonstrate how analysis of data subsets, following disaggregation of pooled data, can elucidate underlying mechanisms that would otherwise remain obscure. The developed models can also be applied to other forms of animal behaviour that are affected by satiety-like principles.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abrahamse, P.A., Vlaeminck, B., Tamminga, S. and Dijkstra, J., 2008. The effect of silage and concentrate type on intake behavior, rumen function, and milk production in dairy cows in early and late lactation. Journal of Dairy Science 91:4778–4792.
Allcroft, D.J., Tolkamp, B.J., Glasbey, C.A. and Kyriazakis, I., 2004. The importance of memory in statistical models for the analysis of animal behaviour. Behavioural Processes 67:99–109.
Bley, T.A.G. and Bessei, W., 2008. Recording of individual feed intake and feeding behavior of Pekin ducks kept in groups. Poultry Science, 87:215–221.
DeVries, T.J., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., Weary, D.M. and Beauchemin, K.A., 2003. Measuring the feeding behavior of lactating dairy cows in early to peak lactation. Journal of Dairy Science 86:3354–3361.
Gonzalez, L.A., Tolkamp, B.J., Coffey, M.P., Ferret A. and Kyriazakis, I., 2008. Changes in feeding behavior as possible indicators for the automatic monitoring of health disorders in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91:1017–1028.
Howie, J.A., Tolkamp, B.J., Avendaño, S., and Kyriazakis, I,. 2009a. A novel flexible method to split feeding behaviour into bouts. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 116:101–109.
Howie, J.A., Tolkamp, B.J., Avendaño, S. and Kyriazakis, I., 2009b. The structure of feeding behavior in commercial broiler lines selected for different growth rates. Poultry Science 88:1143–1150.
Howie, J.A., Tolkamp, B.J., Bley, T.A.G. and Kyriazakis, I. 2010. Short-term feeding behaviour has a similar structure in broilers, ducks and turkeys. British Poultry Science, in press.
Jacobsen, T.B., Mayntz, M. and Amundin, M., 2003. Splitting suckling data of Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates) Neonates in human care into suckling bouts. Zoo Biology 5:477–488.
Langton, S.D., Collett, D. and Sibly, R.M., 1995. Splitting behavior into bouts - A maximum-likelihood approach. Behaviour 132:781–799.
Melin, M., Wiktorsson, H. and Norell, L., 2005. Analysis of feeding and drinking patterns of dairy cows in two cow traffic situations in automatic milking systems. Journal of Dairy Science 88:71–85.
Metz, J.H.M., 1975. Time patterns of feeding and rumination in domestic cattle. Communications Agricultural University 75–12. Wageningen, the Netherlands, 71 pp.
Morgan, C.A., Emmans, G.C., Tolkamp, B.J. and Kyriazakis, I., 2000a. Analysis of the feeding behavior of pigs using different models. Physiology and Behavior 68:395–403.
Morgan, C.A., Tolkamp, B.J., Emmans, G.C. and Kyriazakis, I., 2000b. The way in which the data are combined affects the interpretation of short term feeding behaviour. Physiology and Behavior 70:391–396.
Rook, A.J. and Huckle, C.A., 1997. Activity bout criteria for grazing cows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 54:89–96.
Salawu, M.B., Adesogan, A.T. and Dewhurst, R.J., 2002. Forage intake, meal patterns, and milk production of lactating dairy cows fed grass silage or pea-wheat bi-crop silages. Journal of Dairy Science 85:3035–3044.
Simpson, S.J., 1995. Regulation of a meal: chewing insects. In: Chapman R.F and de Boer, G. (eds.). Regulatory Mechanisms in Insect Feeding. Chapman and Hall, New York, NY, USA, pp.73–103.
Slater, P.J.B and Lester, N.P., 1982 Minimizing errors in splitting behavior into bouts. Behaviour, 79:153–161.
Tolkamp, B.J. and Kyriazakis, I., 1997. Measuring diet selection in dairy cows: effects of training on choice of dietary protein level. Animal Science 64:197–207.
Tolkamp, B.J., Allcroft, D.J., Austin, E.J., Nielsen, B.L. and Kyriazakis, I., 1998. Satiety splits feeding behaviour into bouts. Journal of Theoretical Biology 194:235–250.
Tolkamp, B.J. and Kyriazakis, I., 1999. To split behaviour into bouts, log-transform the intervals. Animal Behaviour 57:807–817.
Tolkamp, B.J., Schweitzer, D.P.N. and Kyriazakis, I., 2000. The biologically relevant unit for the analysis of short-term feeding behavior of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 83:2057–2068.
Tolkamp, B.J., Friggens, N.C., Emmans, G.C., Kyriazakis, I. and Oldham, J.D., 2002. Meal patterns of dairy cows consuming diets with a high or a low ratio of concentrate to grass silage. Animal Science 74:369–382.
VSN International (2008) GENSTAT Version 11.
Wilkinson, S., 2007. The short-term feeding behaviour of group-housed commercially reared growing-finishing pigs. MRes Thesis, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Yeates, M.P., Tolkamp, B.J., Allcroft, D.J. and Kyriazakis, I., 2001. The use of mixed distribution models to determine bout criteria for analysis of animal behaviour. Journal of Theoretical Biology 213:413–425.
Yeates, M.P., Tolkamp, B.J. and Kyriazakis, I., 2003. Consequences of variation in feeding behaviour for the probability of animals starting a meal as estimated from pooled data. Animal Science 77:471–484.
Zorrilla, E.P., Inoue, K., Fekete, E.M., Tabarin, A., Valdez, G.R. and Koob, G.F., 2005. Measuring meals: structure of prandial food and water intake of rats. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 288:R1450–R1467.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of T.B. Jacobsen and T.A.G. Bley who made data obtained with dolphins and Pekin ducks, respectively, available for our analyses.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Wageningen Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tolkamp, B.J., Howie, J.A., Kyriazakis, I. (2011). Modelling short-term feeding behaviour. In: Sauvant, D., Van Milgen, J., Faverdin, P., Friggens, N. (eds) Modelling nutrient digestion and utilisation in farm animals. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-712-7_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-712-7_11
Publisher Name: Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen
Online ISBN: 978-90-8686-712-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
