Analysis of temperament development during the fattening period in the semi-feral bovine calves of theAlberesMassif

Abstract

-The aim of this study was to evaluate the progression of temperament in Alberes male calves during the fattening period. The Alberes breed is a semi-feral beef cattle breed of Catalonia (Spain) that lives endemically in the eastern extreme of the Pyrenees, a mountainous area. These animals were adapted to extensive management systems and their contact with humans was minimal until weaning. After weaning, eighty-four entire males from two consecutive years were reared in feedlot pens during the fattening period, weighed and graded for a temperament score once monthly. Behavioral records were analyzed under a repeated measures model, testing the influence of several systematic sources of variation. Three systematic effects reached statistical significance (P < 0.05): weight of the calf at the beginning of the fattening period, initial temperament score, and restraint session within the initial temperament score. Calves with moderate and high temperament scores at the beginning of the fattening period tended to moderate their temperament (P < 0.05), whereas calm calves did not show a significant trend. Our results suggest that behavioral agitation is decreasing over time in excitable calves, obtaining an acceptable level of tameness for these animals. The effect of the initial weight could be related with calf age, suggesting that older calves were less adaptable to intensive fattening systems.beef cattle / calf behavior / cattle handling / human-animal relation / calf welfare Résumé -Analyse du développement du tempérament pendant la période d'engraissement chez le jeune bovin semi-sauvage du massif des Albères. Le but de cette étude était d'évaluer l'évolution du tempérament des jeunes mâles de la race Albères pendant leur période d'engraissement. La race Albères est une race bovine semi-sauvage native de la Catalogne (Espagne). C'est une population endémique localisée à l'extrémité est des Pyrénées. Ces animaux ont été adaptés au système d'élevage extensif et leur contact avec les humains a été minimal jusqu'au sevrage. Après le sevrage, 84 mâles entiers, au cours de deux années consécutives, ont été élevés en feedlot pendant la période d'engraissement. Leur poids et leur tempérament (note de 1 à 5, du plus calme au plus nerveux) ont été évalués une fois par mois. Les comportements observés ont été analysés avec un modèle de mesures répétées, en examinant l'influence de plusieurs sources de variation. Ils ont été influencés (P < 0, 05) au cours de l'étude par trois facteurs : le poids du veau au début de la période d'engraissement, la note initiale de tempérament, et la note de tempérament pendant la session de contrainte (feedlot). Les animaux avec des notes de tempérament moyennes ou élevées au début de la période d'engraissement ont eu tendance à modérer leur tempérament (P < 0, 05) ; avec les animaux calmes aucune tendance significative n'a été montrée. Nos résultats suggèrent que l'agitation des animaux les plus nerveux diminue avec le temps, ce qui permet d'obtenir un niveau de domestication acce...

Effects of immunocastration performed at two live weights on the growth physiology, temperament and testicular development of feral beef bulls

“…neither the initial LW nor immunocastration had any effect on the chute score or flight speed tests, likely because of individual variability within this breed due to a lack of genetic selection(Álvarez- Rodríguez et al, 2017). In contrast to our results,Fina et al (2006) …”

“…These minimal interventions include, for example, that calves born throughout a long and irregular calving season (Vijil et al, 2009) are weaned at a single date, resulting in age and weight at weaning being highly variable. Furthermore, extensive management of feral cattle exacerbate their temperamental behavior (Fina, Casellas, Manteca, & Piedrafita, 2006). To ease handling, reduce sexual and aggressive behavior and improve their poor conformed carcasses during the finishing phase, Serrana de Teruel males are sometimes castrated (Sanz et al, 2013).…”

Frequent handling of grazing beef cattle maintained under the rotational stocking method improves temperament over time

“…The improvement of beef cattle temperament across successive handlings has been evidenced by previous studies (Andrade et al 2001;Petherick et al 2002;Fina et al 2006;Titto et al 2010), but most of them were conducted with animals kept in feedlot. A few studies have addressed the effects of acclimation to handling on grazing beef cattle temperament, but those studies did not use repeated measurements over time (Cooke et al 2009a(Cooke et al , 2009b(Cooke et al , 2012.…”

Using an observer rating method to assess the effects of rotational stocking method on beef cattle temperament over time

“…Under such conditions, the handling procedures were probably perceived by the animals as positive or neutral, which would have led to learning (e.g., operant conditioning and habituation to humans and handling facilities). An improvement in cattle temperament over time has also been reported by several authors (Andrade et al, 2001;Petherick et al, 2002;Fina et al, 2006;Barbosa Silveira et al, 2008;Titto et al, 2010) who used the flight speed or crush score tests over successive handlings to assess cattle kept in feedlots or in extensive systems. One report also measured the habituation to handling of the animals (Barbosa Silveira et al, 2008).…”