Reference no: EM132799413

Interpreting behavioral time budgets

A farmer houses her cows in 2 identical barns. The barns differ only in stall length and the type of flooring used in the stall. The stalls in Barn A are longer than those in Barn B. Additionally, the stalls in Barn A are bedded with straw, whereas the stalls in Barn B are bare concrete.

All of the cows on the farm wear accelerometers. These automated data collection devices record continuous data about each cow's posture and movements over long periods of time. In other words, you can assume that the data collected is correct and representative of the cow's actual behavior. The accelerometer data shows that the cows in Barn A spend significantly more time lying down than the cows in Barn B.

1. What does the difference in the time spent lying down mean in terms of animal welfare?
2. What are the likely reason for the difference in lying time? Be specific.

As you may remember from lecture, on its own, the time spent performing a behavior does not tell us about how important that behavior is. Therefore, in order to accurately answer the questions above, you will need to look up peer-reviewed papers to help you determine whether lying time can be used as a valid indicator of welfare in cows, and whether any of the factors listed in this scenario could contribute to differences in lying time. Your answer to part A and part B should reference original research articles (ie. your answers must be grounded in science-backed facts).