title: Effect of continuous female exposure on behavioral repertoire and stereotypical behaviors in restrained male dromedary camels during the onset of the breeding season.
abstract: This study aimed to test the effects of the three management systems on the behavioral repertoire and particularly on the incidence of stereotypical behavior in restrained camels. Five male camels were tested under the following management systems: (i) unexposed, housing in a single box (Unexpo); (ii) continuous exposure, exposed continuously to females (ConExpoF); and (iii) re-unexposed, housing again in a single box (Re-Unexpo). Every day, bulls were filmed for 30 min and videos were analyzed using a focal animal sampling ethogram. Under the ConExpoF system, camels spent the majority of time in standing with opened legs (490.0 ± 94.3 s), looking (925.0 ± 93.7 s), and walking toward the females (206.0 ± 73.4 s) and they ate and ruminated less compared to Unexpo and Re-Unexpo systems. Rumination and standing durations were significantly longer in Re-Unexpo than in Unexpo and ConExpoF management systems. When camels were continuously exposed to females, they showed few stereotypical behaviors compared to Unexpo (490.0 ± 146.1 s) and Re-Unexpo (624.0 ± 146.1 s) systems. The frequency of both total and oral stereotypes was significantly higher in Unexpo and Re-Unexpo systems compared to ConExpoF; however, no significant difference was observed among the three management systems in the frequency of locomotor stereotypes. Overall, it appears that the continuous female exposure system might be a suitable management practice for male camels used for intensive reproduction, as it decreases the manifestation of stereotypical behavior in comparison with housing for 24 h in a single box.
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, University of Gabès, 4100, Medenine, Tunisia. fatnassi_meriem@yahoo.com.|Higher Institute of Agricultural Sciences of Chott-Mariem, University of Sousse, 4042, Chott Mariem, Tunisia. fatnassi_meriem@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Meriem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatnassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Str. Prov. per Casamassima, Km 3, 70010, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Padalino
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Veterinary Clinic and Animal Production Section, University of Bari, Str. Prov. per Casamassima, Km 3, 70010, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, University of Gabès, 4100, Medenine, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Touhami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khorchani
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Veterinary Clinic and Animal Production Section, University of Bari, Str. Prov. per Casamassima, Km 3, 70010, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Michele
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lacalandra
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, University of Gabès, 4100, Medenine, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammadi
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000662:veterinary*; D012621:Seasons; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Behavioral repertoire; Dromedary camel; Management system; Stereotypical behavior