Abstract
Abstract. Title of the paper: A general purpose Computer system for behavioral conditioning experiments, named "Feldermonitor" – a new possibility for learning experiments with animals and results of visual discrimination tasks in dwarf goats The precise and automatised testing of sensoric as well as cognitive abilities of pets and livestock becomes increasingly important regarding both, the objecitve evaluation of their welfare and the develpoment of new automatic animal management facilities. The learning apparatus, named Feldermonitor and introduced here, proved to be a valuable apparatus for leaming experiments allowing continuous testing of leaming behaviour of animals under group as well as individual housing conditions. The developed hard and soft ware enables the tested animals to choose simultaneously among up to 12 options, which will confront them with a maximum of four elements of rewarding, informing or sanctioning. The experiments described were performed with dwarf goats. The animals were tested using simultaneous discrimination tasks with two or four Stimuli and being rewarded with small portions of water after each success. Comparing mean learning curves it can be shown, that in case of consecutive leaming tests, successful leaming Starts eariier as well as faster with each additionally performed test. The rapidity of leaming increases also, if different discrimination tasks are offered consecutively. The coefficient of variation for learning success among animals was 10 to 20%, indicating high individual differences.
Highlights
Zwergziegen, die in die Lemtests einbezog;en wurden (Dwarf goats used in the leaming tests)
Die Lämmer wurden in den ersten vier Wochen nach der Geburt von ihren Müttern gesäugt und hatten den gesamten Stallbereich und oft auch die Fläche vor dem Stall als Auslauf
Es ist kein Zufall, daß neben einer umfangreich vorliegenden Fachliteratur in der Tiermedizin zur Chirurgie beim Pferd, in diesem Standardwerk vor allem den inneren Krankheiten des Pferdes und den Fertilitätsproblemen breiterer Raum gewidmet wird, was dieses Buch besonders auszeichnet
Summary
Title of the paper: A general purpose Computer system for behavioral conditioning experiments, named 'Feldermonitor' - a new possibility for learning experiments with animals and results of visual discrimination tasks in dwarf goats The precise and automatised testing of sensoric as well as cognitive abilities of pets and livestock becomes increasingly important regarding both, the objecitve evaluation of their welfare and the develpoment of new automatic animal management facilities. 484 FRANZ; REICHART: Der Fcldermonitor - eine neue Möglichkeit der Lemforschung mit Zwergziegen 1 Polycarbonatwand (Standbreite 200 mm) 2 Antenne zur Tiererkennung 3 Wasserschale (1 Portion = 30 ml) 4 Schalter (an einer Plexiglasscheibe vor dem Monitor) 5 Joch (Breite unten 120, oben 200, lichte Höhe 400). Auf dem Fußboden des Standes war ein Brett in Längsrichtung so angebracht, daß die Tiere dieses Brett zwischen den Beinen hatten. Dadurch wurden die Tiere veranlaßt, nach der Richtigwahl etwas zurückzutreten, das Wasser zu trinken und dann wieder auf den Bildschirm zuzugehen. Die Symbole wurden mit dem Programm Paintbrush erstellt und als Bitmap Dateien in der Software für den Feldermonitor eingesetzt. Für die von den Tieren zu benutzenden Schalter vor dem Monitor wurden Pegelschalter mit Reedkontakten genutzt. Zwergziegen, die in die Lemtests einbezog;en wurden (Dwarf goats used in the leaming tests)
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