Research Identity profiles based on social strategies, morphology, physiology, and cognitive abilities in goats M. Pascual-Alonso a , G.A. María a , W.S. Sepúlveda a , M. Villarroel b , L. Aguayo-Ulloa a , F. Galindo c , G.C. Miranda-de la Lama d, * a Department of Animal Production and Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zaragoza, Spain b Department of Animal Science, E.T.S.I.A. Polytechnic University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain c Department of Ethology and Wildlife, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, Mexico d Group of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Livestock Production, Department of Food Science, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Lerma, UAM, State of Mexico, Mexico article info Article history: Received 26 January 2013 Received in revised form 29 March 2013 Accepted 12 May 2013 Available online 17 June 2013 Keywords: individual differences social strategies identity profiles cognitive abilities goats abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the structure of identity profiles based on social strategies, morphology, physiology, and cognitive abilities in domestic goats. Social interactions of 33 goats were recorded over a period of 16 days for 96 hours. Blood samples and morphological measurements were taken from each animal, and they were each put through a T-maze test. Using the test of factor analysis, 3 of 7 types of social interactions concentrated 76.6% of the variance. They were named the “avoider” factor (21.20%), “nonagonistic” factor (16.30%), and “agonistic” factor (39.10%). Subsequently, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to characterize identity profiles (groups of similar animals), which could help to explain the possible association between social strategies (obtained using the factor analysis) and index of success, social and individual behaviors, and morphological, physiological, and cognitive char- acteristics. The results suggest the existence of 4 clusters or identity profiles, which were termed “aggressive,”“affiliative,”“passive,” and “avoider.” When they were compared between clusters, each identity profile had significant differences regarding all social variables, feeding and resting variables, most of the physiological measures, and all the morphological characteristics. The resolution time for the T-maze was significantly different between clusters and days. In conclusion, associating social strategies with details of behavior, physiology, and morphology provides a more robust idea of identity profiles adopted by goats under intensive farm conditions and suggests a richer diversity of strategies used by goats. Ó 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction Differences among individuals are the substrate for natural selection. Behavioral variation reflects the individual’s capacity to cope with social and physical environmental demands (Carere et al., 2003). Individual behavioral differences have also been viewed as an adaptation in themselves, because of either social advantages or frequency-dependent selection that operates to maintain variation. Consistent individual differences in behavior have now been documented in a broad range of animals over a variety of contexts. However, individual differences in social contexts have received less attention (Morand-Ferron et al., 2011). The behavioral ecology theory of alternative strategies raises the possibility that individuals of different rank may be following alternative and perhaps equally successful social strategies. Recent behavioral research in farm animals has focused on identifying consistent relationship between social strategies and identity profiles. An identity profile can be defined as a coherent set of social strategies as well as behavioral and morphological adaptations, which are consistent over time and characteristic of certain social groups (Miranda-de la Lama et al., 2011). Farm animals under intensive production systems are housed in barns under conditions that differ substantially from their natural habitat, with limited space and herd sizes. Under these conditions, social relationships also imply a higher competition for resources and conflict of interest. Particularly in groups with unstable social structures, an increase in conflicts of interest may increase * Address for reprint requests and correspondence: G.C. Miranda-de la Lama, DVM, MSc, PhD, Departamento Ciencias de la Alimentación, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Lerma, Av. de las Garzas No. 10, Col. El Panteón, Lerma de Villada, Municipio de Lerma, Estado de México, C. P. 52005, Mexico. Tel: þ728-282-7002 (ext. 2014). E-mail address: g.miranda@correo.ler.uam.mx (G.C. Miranda-de la Lama). Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Journal of Veterinary Behavior journal homepage: www.journalvetbehavior.com 1558-7878/$ e see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2013.05.003 Journal of Veterinary Behavior 8 (2013) 458e465