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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Rangeland Resources & Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #311417

Title: Temperament does not affect steer weight gains on extensively managed semiarid rangeland

Author
item Reeves, Justin
item Derner, Justin

Submitted to: Rangelands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2019
Publication Date: 10/19/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61684
Citation: Reeves, J.L., Derner, J.D. 2015. Temperament does not affect steer weight gains on extensively managed semiarid rangeland. Rangelands. 37(5):186-190.

Interpretive Summary: Cattle with poor temperaments gain less weight in feedlots. In grazing applications where cattle densities are much lower, the effect of temperament on weight gains is less understood. In this study, we examined if steer temperament at moderate stocking densities (16 acres/steer) on semiarid rangeland was related to weight gain. Between 2011 and 2013, a five category flight speed score (1=walk; 2=trot; 3=bolt; 4=jump; and 5=fall) was used to assess the temperament of 1643 yearling steers of mixed breeds following release from a hydraulic squeeze chute at the USDA-ARS Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) near Nunn, CO, USA. Scores were assigned at the beginning (mid-May) and end (early-October) of each grazing season. We found no relationship between season beginning or ending flight speed score and weight gain. Steers were also very likely to have reduced flight speed scores at the end of the season, seemingly a result of using low-stress animal handling principles and facilities at CPER. More specifically, across years, average season-beginning flight speed score (1.9) was significantly higher than average season-ending score (1.4). At the end of the grazing season, 66.3% of steers ended the season with a score of 1, and only 4.6% of steers finished the grazing season with a score higher than 2. These results indicate that at moderate grazing densities on semiarid rangeland, steers may not experience enough stress to reduce their weight gains as in feedlots. However, at higher stocking densities (particularly “mob grazing”), temperament could still be indicative of weight gain on rangelands, so more research is needed.

Technical Abstract: Between 2011 and 2013, a five category flight speed score (1=walk; 2=trot; 3=bolt; 4=jump; and 5=fall) was used to assess the temperament of 1643 yearling steers of mixed breeds following release from a hydraulic squeeze chute at the USDA-ARS Central Plains Experimental Range near Nunn, CO, USA. Scores were assigned at the beginning (mid-May) and end (early-October) of each grazing season. Steers were grazed season-long at moderate stocking densities (6.5 ha/steer) on semiarid rangeland, with minimal handling throughout the season. Low-stress cattle handling principles were used for the design of the cattle handling facility, as well as for treatment of steers by handlers. No weight gain differences were observed between different flight speed scores at the beginning or end of the grazing season, counter to many feedlot studies in which cattle with poor temperaments gained less weight. When comparing flight speed scores between the beginning and end of the grazing season, steers were over seven times more likely to be calmer than more agitated. Across all years, mean season-beginning flight speed score (1.9 ± 0.9 SD) was significantly higher than mean season-ending score (1.4 ± 0.6), and mean seasonal flight speed score difference (start minus end score) was 0.5 ± 0.9. At the end of the grazing season, 66.3% of steers ended the season with a score of 1, and only 4.6% of steers finished the grazing season with a score of >2. Results indicate that steer temperament can potentially be less of a concern for producers employing extensive management and moderate stocking in their operations. However, it can be hypothesized that under more intensive management (i.e., "mob grazing"), steers with poor temperaments may still perform relatively worse (as in feedlots). The low stress animal handling techniques and facilities used here likely played a large role in the observed seasonal flight speed score improvements, although transfer of these improvements to feedlots and/or more intensively managed systems remains an open question.