Behavior Depends on Consequences
Learn more about the positive affects of talking positively to your animals and how they will react.
Using Livestock Behavior on Your Operation
This CD outlines the principles and some applications of livestock behavior. It also contains fact sheets and narrated video clips of animals demonstrating how animals learn about foods. It is available free of charge. To request a copy email beth.burritt@usu.edu or you can download or view the contents of the CD by clicking on the topics below.
Principle
Learning How to Eat
Just as people have to learn how to use a knife and a fork or chopsticks, animals have to learn how to tear grass, nip off twigs and pick leaves. Learn more about how animals learn to eat.
Learning from Mom
Livestock understand that mother knows best. Learning from mom is efficient. Learn more about how livestock learn from their moms and the outcomes of this.
Learning from Nutrients
We all like to eat foods that taste good. But why do foods taste good? Learn more bout animal behave learning to eat foods that are nutritious and avoid foods that are low in nutrients.
Learning from Toxins
In general, animals avoid foods that are high in toxins. How do they know which foods are toxic? Learn how animals learn to avoid foods high in toxins.
Neophobia: I Never Tried It, I Don't Like It
Do you avoid eating a food, unless you know what it is or what's in it? Livestock behave the same way. Learn more about neophobia in livestock.
Variety is the Spice of Life
Animals are individuals no matter how similar they look. They have different abilities, similarities, and their own unique needs. Learn more about what individualizes animals and more.
Application
Changing Habitat Preferences
Our project at Utah State University focuses on how learning affects diet selection of livestock rather than low-stress-livestock handling techniques.
Introducing Animals to New Foods
Animals need to learn about new foods. Here are some tips and resources for getting animals to eat new foods.
Introducing Animals to New Locations
Animal performance often suffers when animals are moved to new locations. Here are some tips for moving animals to new locations.
Training Animals to Eat Unpalatable Foods
Ever wondered why animals don't eat some plants? There are number of reasons why animals won't eat certain plants. Explore the variety of reasons and resources to why animals eat what they do.