ARS | Publication request: Differences in rangeland use patterns of young cows with different stress coping styles: Preliminary results

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: June 30, 2008
Publication Date: July 17, 2008
Citation: Wesley, R.L., Cibils, A.F., Pollak, E.R., Cox, S.H., Mulliniks, J., Petersen, M.K., Fredrickson, E.L. 2008. Differences in rangeland use patterns of young cows with different stress coping styles: Preliminary results. In: Proceedings Corona Range and Livestock Research Center Field Day, July 18, 2008, Corona, New Mexico. p. 23-26.

Technical Abstract: Individuals in most animal groups exhibit consistent behavioral differences within or across situations (feeding, mating, predator avoidance, etc.) known as behavioral syndromes (Sih et al. 2004). Proactive (more nervous) vs. reactive (calmer) behavioral syndromes have been observed in many animal species and have been shown to influence how individuals cope with stress (Koolhaas et al. 1999). We investigated the relationships between stress coping styles, patterns of rangeland use, and performance of thirty six 3-year-old cows during two consecutive calving seasons (2006-07). We found that calmer cows (classified as reactive) spent more time at water, explored smaller areas in any given day, had lower body weights, longer postpartum anestrous periods, and weaned lighter calves than cows classified as proactive (more nervous cows). Because our results are based on a limited number of animals which belong to a fairly docile herd, they should be considered preliminary. Further work investigating these relationships is underway.