Effects of Degree and Timing of Social Housing on Reversal Learning and Response to Novel Objects in Dairy Calves

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132828
• Publication Date: 2015-08-14T18:06:35Z
• Authors: Rebecca K. Meagher; Rolnei R. Daros; João H. C. Costa; Marina A. G. von ...; Maria J. Hötzel; Daniel M. Weary
• Keywords: Stimulus (psychology)

Rodents and primates deprived of early social contact exhibit deficits in learning behavioural flexibility. They often also apparent signs elevated anxiety, although the relationship between these effects has not been studied. To investigate whether dairy calves are similarly affected, we first compared housed standard individual pens (n = 7) to those a dynamic group with access their mothers 8). All learned approach correct stimulus visual discrimination task. Only one individually calf was able re-learn task when stimuli were reversed, all but from group. A second experiment investigated this effect might be explained by anxiety animals interfering learning, tested varying degrees addition complex group: pair housing beginning (approximately 6 days old) late (6 weeks old). Again, fewer reared reversal (2 10 or 20%) paired grouped (16 21 76% calves). Late had intermediate success. Individually slower touch novel objects, magnitude fear response did correlate performance. We conclude that have deficits, likely associated increased anxiety.