University of SaskatchewanHARVEST
  • Login
  • Submit Your Work
  • About
    • About HARVEST
    • Guidelines
    • Browse
      • All of HARVEST
      • Communities & Collections
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
      • This Collection
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
    • My Account
      • Login
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
      View Item 
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item

      Vocal behaviour as an indicator of welfare in cattle

      Thumbnail
      View/Open
      NQ63938.pdf (6.232Mb)
      Date
      2001-01-01
      Author
      Watts, Jon
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Doctoral
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      I investigated the use of vocal behaviour in cattle as an indicator of welfare. The first study (Chapter 3) investigated effects of restraint and branding on 189 beef calves. Branded animals gave more, higher, louder vocalizations than controls. Some unbranded animals vocalized, suggesting that restraint during branding may be aversive. Chapter 4 used 17 full-sibling families of calves (N = 130), created using multiple ovulation and embryo transfer, raised by unrelated recipients. Behaviour was measured during visual isolation. Vocalizations varied due to sire and family, suggesting vocal characteristics are partly genetically inherited. Age, weight and sex also influenced responses. Chapter 5 evaluated 307 calves of 4 phenotypic breed groups during routine processing and visual isolation. Phenotype influenced amounts of vocalization, but not acoustic characteristics. More calves vocalized during processing and calls were acoustically different than during isolation. In Chapter 6, steers and bulls (N = 119)were evaluated in visual isolation while other unseen cattle were present, or not present, within the handling facility. Proximity and vocal behaviour of unseen companions increases likelihood that an individual will vocalize. Bulls vocalized more than steers. Chapter 7 studied cow-calf pairs while separated and attempting to reunite, in extensive conditions. As time between nursings increases, so does probability that animals will vocalize. Usually both vocalized while searching, or neither. Vocalization probably indicates motivation to reunite, and may be part of their strategy to locate each other. Measures of the amount of vocalization may be useful in welfare assessment, but should be used alongside other measurements, and to indicate status of groups not individuals. Measures of acoustic properties are preferred. Vocalization of cattle in testing environments is influenced by genotype, phenotype, age, weight, sex, gender and presence and activities of companions. If not controlled, these factors could confound the effects on vocal behaviour of the conditions being evaluated.
      Degree
      Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
      Department
      Large Animal Clinical Sciences
      Program
      Large Animal Clinical Sciences
      Committee
      Campbell, John R.
      Copyright Date
      January 2001
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-10212004-002304
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      University of Saskatchewan

      University Library

      The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

      © University of Saskatchewan
      Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy