Can changes in nasal temperature be used as an indicator of emotional state in cows?
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2016 |
Authors: |
Helen Proctor, Gemma Carder |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
cows, emotions, nasal temperature, sentience, welfare assessment |
ISBN: |
0168-1591 |
Abstract:
Good animal welfare considers not only the physical and environmental aspects of an animal’s well-being, but also their emotional state. Finding measures of animal emotions is an important area of research, as there is a need for objective, reliable and non-invasive measures to assess how an animal is feeling. There is still little known about the use of peripheral temperatures as an indication of emotional state. Previous research has shown that nasal temperatures in cows drop in response to a positive, low arousal emotional state, but similar effects have been seen in other peripheral areas in response to negative, high arousal emotional states. In this study we have sought to explore the effects of both positive and negative, high arousal emotional states on the nasal temperatures of dairy cows. We found that both positive and negative high arousal experiences cause a significant reduction in the nasal temperature of cattle. The introduction of a positive contrast; highly favoured ‘concentrates’ feed, following a conditioned neutral feed stimulus, elicited the emotional state of excitement and resulted in a significant decrease in nasal temperature (F (1.90,376.16) = 17.36, p < 0.001). As did the negative contrast; an inedible feed following a conditioned positive feed stimulus, which is considered to elicit the emotional state of frustration (F (2,84) = 8.41, p < 0.001). These findings, suggest that significant drops in nasal temperatures are a result of a change in emotional valence, and not descriptive of the type of valence, or a change in arousal. Further research needs to be conducted as there is so little known about the effects of emotional state on peripheral temperatures, particularly positive emotional states. Our findings support previous research to suggest that there is potential for nasal temperatures in cattle to be used as a reliable indicator of changes in emotional valence, although much more needs to be done before we can draw concrete conclusions regarding the effects.