文章基本信息

标题：Influence of season on daytime behavioral activities of donkeys in the Northern Guinea Savanna zone of Nigeria
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作者：Friday Ocheja ZAKARI ; Joseph Olusegun AYO ; Peter Ibrahim REKWOT 等
期刊名称：Journal of Equine Science
印刷版ISSN：1340-3516
电子版ISSN：1347-7501
出版年度：2015
卷号：26
期号：4
页码：105-111
DOI：10.1294/jes.26.105
出版社：Japanese Society of Equine Science
摘要：The present experiment was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of season on behavioral activities of donkeys during the rainy and harmattan seasons in the Northern Guinea zone of Nigeria. Sixteen apparently healthy donkeys were used as subjects and divided into four groups based on age. During each season, behavioral activities of each donkey were evaluated for three weeks using the focal animal sampling technique. The dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity (RH), and temperature-humidity index (THI) were obtained three times each day during the experimental period using standard procedures. In the rainy season, the mean DBT (31.65 ± 0.49°C), RH (73.63 ± 1.09%), and THI (84.39 ± 0.71) were significantly (P<0.0001) higher than the corresponding values of 24.00 ± 0.44°C, 36.80 ± 0.92%, and 64.80 ± 0.62 in the harmattan season. During the rainy season, the donkeys spent 60.00 ± 0.77%, 25.40 ± 0.69%, and 2.94 ± 0.21% on grazing, resting, and grooming, respectively. During the harmattan season, the donkeys spent the most time on grazing (76.76 ± 0.43%), less time on resting (11.97 ± 0.38%), and the least time on grooming (0.89 ± 0.05%). In conclusion, season and seasonal variations affect the daytime behavioral activities of donkeys in the zone, and this should be considered in husbandry practices for donkeys.
关键词：rainy and harmattan seasons;donkey;behavior;daytime