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The effects of the social environment on calf responses to handling and transport
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The effects of the social environment on calf responses to handling and transport H.R. Trunkfield and D.M. Broom Department of Clinical VeterinaryMedicine, Universityof Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
ABSTRACT A calf's previous experience may be expected to influence its subsequent response to acute stress. In the present study, the effects of the social environment on the response to transport have been investigated. Direct behavioural observations of all competitive interactions were recorded for 40 h in a group of 18 3-month-old Friesian male calves reared in an intensive barley beef system. Butts, head-to-head battles, approach and avoidance behaviour and displacement of one calf from the trough by another were noted. The interactions of each calf with all 17 others were scored in a matrix according to wins and losses. Calves were then ranked according to the mean proportion of wins and clear social order was found at this point in development of the group. At 14 weeks of age, these calves were transported in a trailer in two groups of nine animals, for a distance of 4 miles. Blood samples were taken for cortisol analysis before and after transport. All calves showed a significant increase in cortisol levels in response to handling and transport. Calves which won least in social interactions had the highest basal cortisol levels and showed the greatest cortisol response following handling and transport. Calves winning most showed the smallest cortisol response to the procedure. These results suggest that a calf's response to handling and transport can be affected by its position in the social order.
Changes in stereotypies associated with tethering of dairy cows I. Redbo Department of A nimal Nutrition and Management, Swedish Universityof Agricultural Sciences, Kungsangen Research Farm, S-753 23, Uppsala, Sweden
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate how tethering of lactating dairy cows after a grazing period affects the occurrence of stereotypies. Ten cows with stereotypies, mainly consisting of tongue playing, were observed for 2 h on each of 2 successive days, each week from the first to eighth week after being tethered. Five of the cows were tethered throughout the grazing season, to act as controls. The duration of stereotypies and related behaviours were recorded. While the control cows, which
The effects of the social environment on calf responses to handling and transport H.R. Trunkfield and D.M. Broom Department of Clinical VeterinaryMedicine, Universityof Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
ABSTRACT A calf's previous experience may be expected to influence its subsequent response to acute stress. In the present study, the effects of the social environment on the response to transport have been investigated. Direct behavioural observations of all competitive interactions were recorded for 40 h in a group of 18 3-month-old Friesian male calves reared in an intensive barley beef system. Butts, head-to-head battles, approach and avoidance behaviour and displacement of one calf from the trough by another were noted. The interactions of each calf with all 17 others were scored in a matrix according to wins and losses. Calves were then ranked according to the mean proportion of wins and clear social order was found at this point in development of the group. At 14 weeks of age, these calves were transported in a trailer in two groups of nine animals, for a distance of 4 miles. Blood samples were taken for cortisol analysis before and after transport. All calves showed a significant increase in cortisol levels in response to handling and transport. Calves which won least in social interactions had the highest basal cortisol levels and showed the greatest cortisol response following handling and transport. Calves winning most showed the smallest cortisol response to the procedure. These results suggest that a calf's response to handling and transport can be affected by its position in the social order.
Changes in stereotypies associated with tethering of dairy cows I. Redbo Department of A nimal Nutrition and Management, Swedish Universityof Agricultural Sciences, Kungsangen Research Farm, S-753 23, Uppsala, Sweden
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate how tethering of lactating dairy cows after a grazing period affects the occurrence of stereotypies. Ten cows with stereotypies, mainly consisting of tongue playing, were observed for 2 h on each of 2 successive days, each week from the first to eighth week after being tethered. Five of the cows were tethered throughout the grazing season, to act as controls. The duration of stereotypies and related behaviours were recorded. While the control cows, which