Journal
PHYSICA D-NONLINEAR PHENOMENA
Volume 240, Issue 19, Pages 1497-1509Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.physd.2011.06.009
Keywords
Piecewise smooth dynamical systems; Animal behavior; Synchronization; Cows
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Funding
- Army Research Office [51950-MA]
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We formulate a mathematical model for the daily activities of a cow (eating, lying down, and standing) in terms of a piecewise linear dynamical system. We analyze the properties of this bovine dynamical system representing the single animal and develop an exact integrative form as a discrete-time mapping. We then couple multiple cow oscillators together to study synchrony and cooperation in cattle herds. We comment on the relevant biology and discuss extensions of our model. With this abstract approach, we not only investigate equations with interesting dynamics but also develop biological predictions. In particular, our model illustrates that it is possible for cows to synchronize less when the coupling is increased. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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