Volume: 4, 2025
4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.A011
Published online: 9 April 2025
ICDSUPL, 4, A011 (2025)
Does sociability towards humans influence sheep performance in mirror – image test?
Kamila Janicka1*, Agnieszka Ziemiańska1, Wiktoria Janicka1
1 Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: kamila.janicka@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
Problem solving has been a subject of interests for scientists and applies to various animal species. So far, it has been shown that animals oriented to cooperate with humans demonstrate a cognitive behaviour that is rarely seen in the animal world. While observing sheep, generally considered to be outstandingly flock-oriented animals, we noticed significant individual differences in the behaviour of these animals regarding contact with humans. A flock of 15 Świniarka sheep was subjected to the mirror-image tests. Based on the test with human, the animals were divided into two groups: human-oriented (HO) or flock-oriented (FO) sheep. After a habituation phase, sheep were tested for three days at a two-week interval, and each test was conducted in 15 replications. The test phase was conducted in the test arena where a mirror was placed. All sheep adapted well to the test conditions and performed the task with high efficiency. It was shown that the mean time of completion of the test by the flock was shorter on each subsequent day (p < 0.005). The comparison of the results achieved in the HO and FO groups on the test days indicated that the sheep from the HO group needed significantly less time each day to solve the task than the FO group (p < 0.005). The correctness of completion of all trials by the human-oriented (HO) sheep was 100%. In comparison, the flock-oriented (FO) sheep exhibited a lower level of performance each day. The probability of using the mirror image to locate a hidden object suggests that sheep use spatial cues. In turn, the differences in task completion time between the HO and FO groups may indicate the influence of sociability in problem solving. We have shown that, despite their fearful nature, ewes experienced in daily and positive interactions with humans adapted well to the experimental setting and successfully completed the vast majority of the task trials. This may have been related to the reduced level of fear, which promotes the processing of information cognitively rather than automatically as in stressful conditions.
Keywords: problem solving, cognition, sheep, human-animal interaction
How to cite
K. Janicka, A. Ziemiańska, W. Janicka, 2025. Does sociability towards humans influence sheep performance in mirror – image test?. In: 4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.A011