Vet World Vol.17 November-2024 Article - 3
Research Article
Veterinary World, 17(11): 2443-2450
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2024.2443-2450
Impact of a natural rubber-based scratcher as an environmental enrichment on the scratching behavior, cortisol level, and semen quality of stable male goats
2. Animal Behavior and Animal-human Interaction Research Group, Akkhararatchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
3. Pasupalun Livestock and Wildlife Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Sai Yok, Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
4. Department of Conservation Research and Animal Health, Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Bangpra, The Zoological Park Organization, Chonburi, Thailand.
5. The Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Puthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
6. Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.
7. Center for One Health, Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
†The authors equally contributed to this work.
Background and Aim: Goats are valuable livestock because they can generate meat and milk for human consumption. Goat husbandry is becoming more intensive due to the growing demand for goat products, which may impact animal welfare and natural behavior. This study aimed to investigate the impact of natural rubber (para rubber)-based scratchers as an environmental enrichment on scratching behavior, cortisol levels, and semen quality in stable bucks (male goats/goats).
Materials and Methods: Nine male goats were used in this study. Scratching behavior and cortisol levels were used as welfare indicators, whereas semen quality was evaluated as an indicator of reproductive potential. These indicators were analyzed before and after scratcher installation.
Results: After installing the scratchers, the goats showed a significant increase in scratching behavior and a notable decrease in cortisol levels (p < 0.001). Notably, the goats exhibited a marked preference for scratching against the scratcher (p < 0.001) compared to the stable. They significantly preferred using their heads for scratching (p < 0.001) instead of other body parts. In addition, goats preferred to scratch on the softest rubber scratchers at specific installation locations (p < 0.001). Although there was a slight improvement in semen quality, there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: A natural rubber-based scratcher can increase scratching behavior and reduce cortisol levels, indicating its potential to improve the welfare of farm goats. Selecting an appropriate hardness and preferred location is essential to ensure that the scratcher effectively encourages animals to use it.
Keywords: cortisol, goat, para rubber, scratcher, semen quality.
How to cite this article: Kimsakulvech S, Sriphavatsarakom P, Thaikoed S, Oupala W, Punkong C, Prompiram P, Saingkaew S, Hayakijkosol O, and Wongtawan T (2024) Impact of a natural rubber-based scratcher as an environmental enrichment on the scratching behavior, cortisol level, and semen quality of stable male goats, Veterinary World, 17(11): 2443-2450.
Received: 2024-05-09 Accepted: 2024-10-03 Published online: 2024-11-05
Corresponding author: E-mail:
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.2443-2450
Copyright: Kimsakulvech, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
