Temperament and dominance relate to feeding behaviour and activity in beef cattle: implications for performance and methane emissions

Abstract

In beef cattle, feeding behaviour and activity are associated with feed efficiency and methane (CH4) emissions. This study aimed to understand the underlying traits responsible for the contribution of cattle behaviour to individual differences in feed efficiency, performance and CH4 emissions. A total of 84 steers (530±114 kg BW) of two different breeds (crossbreed Charolais and Luing) were used. The experiment was a 2×2×3 factorial design with breed, basal diets (concentrate v. mixed) and dietary treatments (no additive, calcium nitrate or rapeseed cake) as the main factors. The individual dry matter intake (DMI; kg) was recorded daily and the BW was measured weekly over a 56-day period. Ultrasound fat depth was measured on day 56. Based on the previous data, the indexes average daily gain, food conversion and residual feed intake (RFI) were calculated. The frequency of meals, the duration per visit and the time spent feeding per day were taken as feeding behaviour measures. Daily activity was measured using the number of steps, the number of standing bouts and the time standing per day. Agonistic interactions (including the number of contacts, aggressive interactions, and displacements per day) between steers at the feeders were assessed as indicators of dominance. Temperament was assessed using the crush score test (which measures restlessness when restrained) and the flight speed on release from restraint. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate regression models. Steers that spent more time eating showed better feed efficiency (P=0.039), which can be due to greater secretion of saliva. Feeding time was longer with the mixed diet (P<0.001), Luings (P=0.009) and dominant steers (P=0.032). Higher activity (more steps) in the pen was associated with poorer RFI, possibly because of higher energy expenditure for muscle activity. Frequent meals contributed to a reduction in CH4 emissions per kg DMI. The meal frequency was higher with a mixed diet (P<0.001) and increased in more temperamental (P=0.003) and dominant (P=0.017) steers. In addition, feed intake was lower (P=0.032) in more temperamental steers. This study reveals that efficiency increases with a longer feeding time and CH4 emissions decrease with more frequent meals. As dominant steers eat more frequently and for longer, a reduction in competition at the feeder would improve both feed efficiency and CH4 emissions. Feed efficiency can also be improved through a reduction in activity. Selection for calmer cattle would reduce activity and increase feed intake, which may improve feed efficiency and promote growth, respectively.

Large variability in feeding behavior among crossbred growing cattle

“…As feeding order was moderately repeatable, this suggests that a social hierarchy was established within the pen and remained relatively consistent across the test period. Cattle with a lower feed rank order (i.e., fed soon after the feed was refreshed) were considered more socially dominant in the present study; these more dominant animals fed more frequently per day and for longer each day, which is in agreement with previous research by Llonch et al (2018) in loose-housed beef steers in which visual observation was used to determine the dominance. Bennett and Holmes (1987) also used visual observation of competitive interactions to define feeding order in yearling steers.…”

Review: Individual variability in feeding behaviour of domesticated ruminants

“…For instance, beef cattle that are especially reactive when in the chute or isolated in a pen with a handler (i.e. nervous, vigorous or violent movement, or attempts to escape), and have high flight speeds exiting the chute, also have reduced feed intake (Black et al, 2013;Llonch et al, 2018), reduced feeding times (Cafe et al, 2011) and increased feeding bouts of shorter duration (Llonch et al, 2018). Similar effects on feeding behaviour have been shown in physiologically more reactive cattle (e.g.…”

Chicken or the Egg: The Reciprocal Association Between Feeding Behavior and Animal Welfare and Their Impact on Productivity in Dairy Cows

“…Animals that are more likely to cope with those situations are considered to have a “good” temperament. A study by Llonch et al (101) on beef cattle observed that temperamental animals (e.g., steers that displayed a high flight speed response in a handling test) visited the feeder more often and spent, on average, less time eating per meal, eating less feed per meal also. The same authors hypothesized that, at the feeding area, most temperamental cattle are more reactive to the presence of other pen mates, increasing the likelihood of feeding interruption (101).…”