The study, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the German Research Foundation, observed that goats liked to earn a reward by putting in some effort, even if they could get the same reward with no effort at all.
Two breeding lines – dairy goats and dwarf goats – were offered a choice of two types of reward (a piece of uncooked pasta). One could be reached without any effort, while the other had to be earned by opening a door with their muzzles.
Nina Keil and Katrina Rosenberger, from Agroscope,External link the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research, found that of the 57 goats that took part, 53 chose to slide open the door to obtain their reward at least one time in ten, even though the same reward could also be obtained without any effort.
However, the dairy goats seemed to be more motivated to open the door than the dwarf goats, who were more cautious at first.
The researchers had expected the dwarf goats to show interest because they had done so in a similar experiment in Germany, they said in a SNSF statement on FridayExternal link.
“However, the dairy goats came as a surprise. Since they are bred for a high milk yield, we had expected them to conserve their energy and be less motivated to make an effort to get a reward, particularly if they could get the same reward without having to make that effort,” Rosenberger said.
The results are based on the principle of “contra-freeloading”. “The term describes the behaviour of animals that prefer to make an effort to fulfil their desire for a particular resource rather than have it placed in front of them,” Keil explained.
Need for control
This has been observed in domesticated animals and in wild animals in a zoo environment, for example, but it is not known if this takes place in the wild.
“We assume that the animals display this behaviour because solving a task gives them control over their environment and triggers positive emotions,” Keil said. “They apparently derive a certain satisfaction that makes the additional effort worthwhile.”
Domestic goats’ living conditions should make allowance for this, Keil said. The researchers are aiming to expand their experiment over a longer period and under real-life conditions on a farm.
If the results support the introduction of these kinds of measures at farms, they should be easy to integrate into farmers’ everyday routines, the SNSF statement concluded.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Does saving bee colonies mean breaking with tradition?
This content was published on
Experts have presented new ideas to help save the bees, but they may struggle to gain acceptance among traditional beekeepers.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.