Hearing in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) and goats (Capra hircus)

Hear Res. 1990 Oct;48(3):231-40. doi: 10.1016/0378-5955(90)90063-u.

Abstract

Behavioral audiograms were determined for three pigs and two goats. The hearing of the pigs ranged from 42 Hz to 40.5 kHz with a region of best sensitivity from 250 Hz to 16 kHz. Hearing in goats ranged from 78 Hz to 37 kHz with a well-defined point of best sensitivity at 2 kHz. Because these animals are unable to localize high-frequency tones, it seems unlikely that selective pressure to use the interaural spectral-difference cue for sound localization is behind their high-frequency hearing. Instead, we suggest that these and other hoofed mammals evolved high-frequency hearing in order to use monaural locus cues which prevent front/back locus reversals.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation / methods
  • Animals
  • Audiometry
  • Female
  • Goats / physiology*
  • Hearing / physiology*
  • Swine / physiology*