No description available.

The mechanisms behind early domestication of animals are still unknown and an important question is how the changes leading to what is called the domesticated phenotype have developed. It has been suggested that the domestication process has been based on tameness of animals, and that tameness is genetically correlated to other traits. This study aimed to assess whether selection based on tameness induces changes in undisturbed behaviours related to general activity in the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) housed in semi-natural environments. Two strains of red junglefowl, selected for high and low fear of humans respectively, were studied and compared in terms of general activity. It was found that there was a selection effect on exploratory behaviour and activity, with low fear-birds being more explorative and more active, an interaction effect of selection and sex on feather preening, with high fear-males preening more, and no selection effect on comfort behaviour. Results from this study indicate that tameness is genetically correlated to exploratory behaviour, activity and feather preening in the red junglefowl. These results support the suggestion that the early domestication process was based on tameness and that genetic correlations between tameness and other traits led to the phenotypic variation that is today seen in domestic animals.

In this thesis we have shown that a seemingly complicated mathematical structure can exhibit 'tame behaviour'. The structure we have dealt with is a field (a space in which there are addition and multiplication which satisfy natural properties) together with a dense subset (a subset which has spread in all parts of the this set, as Q does in R) and a discrete subset (a subset comprised of single points which keep certain distances from one another). This tameness is essentially with regards to not being trapped with the 'Godel phenomeonon' as the Peano arithmetic does.

No description available.

<p>Historically during domestication of animals, tameness towards humans was likely the most desired trait and therefore bred on. The red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) is the wild progenitor of all domestic chicken breeds and earlier studies present clear morphological, physiological and behavioural differences between domesticated breeds and the non-domesticated red junglefowl. These changes may be the result of altered gene expression - pleiotropy or linked genes. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate (1) effects of tameness selection on social behaviour towards conspecifics and (2) social behaviour differences between the sexes. Two generations of red junglefowl, P0 and its offspring F1, were studied. Both generations were divided into three selection lines (tame, intermediate or fearful), depending on their results in a fear of humans test.  A novel type of social reinstatement test was set up, containing a non-social area without stimulus, and a social area containing a mirror serving as stimulus animals. The social and aggressive behaviours performed towards the mirror were recorded, so was the time spent in the social versus non-social part. An undisturbed behaviour test was performed, as well as a standardized social reinstatement test. The P0-females performed significantly more social behaviour (p=0.008) at 26 weeks than males in the mirror test, and females also displayed significantly more social (p=0.04) and agonistic behaviour (p<0.001) than males in the undisturbed behaviour test. The social reinstatement test displayed a significant effect between the selection lines with regards to sociality. This suggests that there are immediate selection responses in early domestication.</p>

Historically during domestication of animals, tameness towards humans was likely the most desired trait and therefore bred on. The red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) is the wild progenitor of all domestic chicken breeds and earlier studies present clear morphological, physiological and behavioural differences between domesticated breeds and the non-domesticated red junglefowl. These changes may be the result of altered gene expression - pleiotropy or linked genes. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate (1) effects of tameness selection on social behaviour towards conspecifics and (2) social behaviour differences between the sexes. Two generations of red junglefowl, P0 and its offspring F1, were studied. Both generations were divided into three selection lines (tame, intermediate or fearful), depending on their results in a fear of humans test.  A novel type of social reinstatement test was set up, containing a non-social area without stimulus, and a social area containing a mirror serving as stimulus animals. The social and aggressive behaviours performed towards the mirror were recorded, so was the time spent in the social versus non-social part. An undisturbed behaviour test was performed, as well as a standardized social reinstatement test. The P0-females performed significantly more social behaviour (p=0.008) at 26 weeks than males in the mirror test, and females also displayed significantly more social (p=0.04) and agonistic behaviour (p&lt;0.001) than males in the undisturbed behaviour test. The social reinstatement test displayed a significant effect between the selection lines with regards to sociality. This suggests that there are immediate selection responses in early domestication.