Cattle

Effects of different stroking styles on behaviour and cardiac parameters in heifers

Gentle animal–human interactions, such as stroking, can promote positive emotions and thus welfare in cattle. While previous studies showed that stroking at the ventral neck elicited the most positive reactions in cows, intra-specific allogrooming in cattle includes different body regions...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Lange, A., Franzmayr, S., Wisenöcker, V. et al. 2020. Effects of different stroking styles on behaviour and cardiac parameters in heifers. Animals 10(3), 426.

Evaluation of the physical properties of bedding materials for dairy cattle using fuzzy clustering analysis

The bedding materials used in dairy cow housing systems are extremely important for animal welfare and performance. A wide range of materials can be used as bedding for dairy cattle, but their physical properties must be analysed to evaluate their...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Ferreira Ponciano Ferraz, P., Araújo e Silva Ferraz, G., Leso, L. et al. 2020. Evaluation of the physical properties of bedding materials for dairy cattle using fuzzy clustering analysis. Animals 10(2), 351.

Gentle interactions with restrained and free-moving cows: Effects on the improvement of the animal-human relationship

The animal-human relationship is essential for farm animal welfare and production. Generally, gentle tactile and vocal interactions improve the animal-human relationship in cattle. However, cows that are fearful of humans avoid their close presence and touch; thus, the animal-human relationship...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Lange, A., Waiblinger, S., Heinke, A. et al. 2020. Gentle interactions with restrained and free-moving cows: Effects on the improvement of the animal-human relationship. PLOS ONE 15(11), e0242873.

How dietary diversity enhances hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in grazing ruminants

Ruminants evolved in diverse landscapes of which they utilized, by choice, a diverse arrangement of plants (grasses, forbs, and trees) for food. These plants provide them with both primary (carbohydrates, protein, etc.) and secondary (phenolics, terpenes, etc.) compounds (PPC and...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cattle, Goat, Other Animal, Sheep

Citation: Beck, M. R., Gregorini, P. 2020. How dietary diversity enhances hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in grazing ruminants. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 191.

Impact of a cattle brush on feedlot steer behavior, productivity, and stress physiology

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of environmental enrichment (EE), in the form of a cattle brush, on feedlot cattle behavior, productivity and stress physiology. Steers were blocked by weight and assigned to one of...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Park, R. M., Schubach, K. M., Cooke, R. F. et al. 2020. Impact of a cattle brush on feedlot steer behavior, productivity and stress physiology. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 228, 104995.

Licking and agonistic interactions in grazing dairy cows as indicators of preferential companies

The quality of the social environment should be studied as one of the welfare components of dairy herds. Licking and preference between cows are important socio-positive experiences in this context.The aims of this study were: 1) to describe the behaviours...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Pinheiro Machado, T. M., Pinheiro Machado Filho, L. C., Daros, R. R. et al. 2020. Licking and agonistic interactions in grazing dairy cows as indicators of preferential companies. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 227, 104994.

Long-term consistency of personality traits of cattle

Personality is often defined as the behaviour of individual animals that is consistent across contexts and over time. Personality traits may become unstable during stages of ontogeny from infancy to adulthood, especially during major periods of development such as around...

Year Published: 2020Topics: PersonalityAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Neave, H. W., Costa, J. H. C., Weary, D. M. 2020. Long-term consistency of personality traits of cattle. Royal Society Open Science 7(2), 7191849.

Pessimistic dairy calves are more vulnerable to pain-induced anhedonia

Pain induces deficits in appreciation of rewards (i.e. anhedonia) and variation in response to pain may be partly explained by individual differences in general expectations (i.e. optimism). Dairy calves are routinely subjected to painful procedures such as hot-iron disbudding. We...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Body Modification/MutilationAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Lecorps, B., Nogues, E., von Keyserlingk, M. A. G. et al. 2020. Pessimistic dairy calves are more vulnerable to pain-induced anhedonia. PLOS ONE 15(11), e0242100.

Do the ear and tail positions reflect the emotional state of calves?

This study aimed to determine the associations between ear and tail position and stroking or umbrella stimuli in dairy calves at different stimulus application times (before the test, pretest, test, and posttest). Thirty-two mixedbred Holstein calves of different ages were...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Machado, M., Silveira, R. M. F., Bittar, C. M. M. et al. 2024. Do the ear and tail positions reflect the emotional state of calves? Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 12(2), e2024017.

Dairy cows prefer cubicles with a 3% versus 10% slope

Cows rest 8–16 hours a day to reduce energy expenditure, optimize digestion, and promote recovery. The cubicle’s slope is crucial for cow comfort and proper positioning during rest. This study evaluated dairy cow preferences for two cubicle slopes (3% vs....

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Jannah, Z. N., Hoof, M. V., Eecke, J. V. et al. 2025. Dairy cows prefer cubicles with a 3% versus 10% slope. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 13(4), e2025028.