Taste Responses in Ruminants. IV. Reactions of Pygmy Goats, Normal Goats, Sheep and Cattle to Acetic Acid and Quinine Hydrochloride

Abstract

Behavioral taste thresholds are often used to compare gustatory chemoreception among species. However, such thresholds may vary depending upon a number of environmental and intraorganic factors. In order to obtain reasonably precise species-comparisons, it is necessary that as many as possible of the influencing factors be controlled. The purpose of the studies reported in this paper was to compare the taste responses of four species of ruminants to acetic acid (HAc) and quinine hydrochloride (QHC1) when some of the more important factors (age, diet and testing procedure) influencing taste responses were controlled. Experimental Procedure The details of the experimental procedure have been given in previous reports (Goatcher and Church, 1970a, c). Briefly, it consisted of a two-choice preference test with the taste stimulants offered in series of ascending concentrations. Responses were assessed on the basis of percent of total fluid intake comprised by test solutions. The data were analyzed using the stepwise multiple linear regression procedure and graphical plots of means and standard deviations.