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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » Livestock Behavior Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #69420
Title: TIME-BUDGETS FOR CALVES CASTRATED AT 2-4 DAYS OF AGE.

Author
item JONES, BRENT - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Morrow, Julie

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Behavior of 2-4d old calves was recorded to determine acute effects of castration. BOS TAURUS crossbred calves were selected to receive one of three castration treatments, surgical (n=5), banding (n=5), or control (n=5). Calves within each of the three treatments were restrained for a similar time while blood samples were taken and calves were castrated. Calves were housed in 3.66 m x 14.63 m straw-bedded pens with their dam. Behavior was recorded by time-lapse video recorders. Behaviors included duration and frequency for lying (DL, FL), nursing (DN,FN), standing (DS,FS), motion (DM,FM), out-of-view (DO,FO), and blood sample collection (DB,FB). Observations for the 24 hr period were collected in 4 hr blocks. Main effects of time were significant for several behaviors including DL (P=.0018), FS (P=.0109), DS (P=.0193), FN (P=.0444), DN (P=.0082, FM (P=.0087), DM (P=.0328), and DN (P=.0082). Calves showed the greatest amount (P<.05) of DL during the time block midnight-4 AM (205 min+/4.84, LSmean+/SE. DN was greatest in the time block 8 PM-midnight (19.39 min+/1.89). Calves moved more from 8 PM-midnight (48.4+/8.1 times/24 hr and 4.5+/.42 min/24 hr for FM and DM respectively). This data indicates that method of castration does not alter behavior in 2-4d old calves.