Non-parametric analysis of noncognitive determinants of response type, intensity, mood and learning in donkeys (Equus asinus)

Abstract Operant conditioning and Quantitative and Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA) synergism can provide valuable information about animals’ extinction/learning and emotional status. In this study, we tested operant conditioning with 300 donkeys using six different reinforcers. Simultaneously, we studied the effects 15 animal-inherent, environment and location, and test related factors had on response type and intensity, mood and extinction/learning ability variables. We sought to test three hypotheses using non-parametric categorical analyses. First, we studied which of the 15 noncognitive factors could explain the variability of the 4 behavioral variables and their explanatory power. Second, we assessed the frontal and lateral ear position donkeys displayed when each reinforcement treatment was implemented to study the correlations between ear position and twelve mood QBA categories. Third, we assessed which reinforcement treatment was more suitable to promote donkeys’ learning and welfare, studying their success rate at completing the operant conditioning test, and welfare related behavioral signs, respectively. Almost all noncognitive factors significantly affected four variables (P