Validating the use of pen scores to capture behaviors expressed by cattle unrestrained in a pen

TL;DR

This study shows that pen scores effectively capture cattle behavior in an unrestrained setting, offering a useful tool for evaluating temperament.

Contribution

The study validates the use of pen scores to assess cattle temperament in a nonrestrained environment.

Findings

Heifers with higher pen scores exhibited larger flight zones and faster movement.

Lower pen scores correlated with calmer behavior and less frequent movement.

Pen scores align well with observed behaviors, supporting their use for temperament evaluation.

Abstract

Many subjective methods exist to assist producers in evaluating temperament. Use of a pen test, which allows behavior to be observed in a nonrestrained setting, may be an effective method to evaluate temperament by allowing more variation among animals to be expressed as compared to a restrained test. The objective of this study was to analyze video recordings of penned calves to determine whether the repertoire of behaviors they expressed was adequately captured by their individual pen score (IPS) and group pen score (GPS). In each of 3 yr, 40 predominantly Angus commercial Bos taurus heifers, 2-wk postweaning , were assessed monthly in 3 consecutive months (recording periods). After routine handling through a weigh crate and squeeze chute, each heifer was released individually into a pen (12 × 6 m). Their response to 30 s of human presence within the pen was evaluated. They were then joined in groups of four in a larger (12 × 8 m) pen and re-evaluated for 30 s in a group setting. An IPS and GPS were assigned using an ethogram, with scores ranging from 1 (docile) to 6 (aggressive). This interaction was also video recorded. Using the videos, the explicit behaviors captured by each pen score were investigated using Noldus Observer software. Data were analyzed with ANOVA using SAS. Within each recording period, the concordance of pen scores with the repertoire of behaviors expressed was compared. In the group setting, heifers could not be clearly distinguished on video and were instead assigned the average GPS of the group. Heifers with higher IPS and average GPS categories had larger flight zone sizes and reached faster paces for longer periods of time. Furthermore, heifers with lower IPS appeared more neutral to the presence of a human and moved around less often. Ethograms for pen score successfully delineated the temperament of heifers. The use of such scores can provide a valuable on-farm assessment of cattle behavior during routine handling.

Removing restraint allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of the temperament of an animal. When explicit behaviors described within the pen score ethograms were categorized and quantified, they closely aligned with a designated score, supporting the conclusion that pen score is a valuable and relevant summary of the repertoire of behaviors associated with temperament in cattle.

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