Kimsakulvech, Sakdichod, Sriphavatsarakom, Prarom, Thaikoed, Sunsaneeya, Oupala, Waraluk, Punkong, Chainarong, Prompiram, Phirom, Saingkaew, Somchai, Hayakijkosol, Orachun, and Wongtawan, Tuempong (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). pp. 2443-2450.

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Abstract

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.

Item ID:	85263
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2231-0916
Copyright Information:	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.
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2025 01:53
FoR Codes:	30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3003 Animal production > 300305 Animal reproduction and breeding @ 100%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280101 Expanding knowledge in the agricultural, food and veterinary sciences @ 100%
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