The effect of bull on behaviour of dairy heifers in ethological tests
2005
Broucek, J.(Vyskumny ustav zivocisnej vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic). Hlohovska 2, 949 92 Nitra | Uhrincat, M. | Hanus, A. | Mihina, S. | Kisac, P. | Hetenyi, L.
The aim of our study was to evaluated effect of bull line on maze learning ability and locomotor behavior in open-field tests of heifers, also consistency over time of grid crossing and relationship between time of acrossing the maze and grid crossings in open-field tests, respectivelly. We used 54 Holstein heifers, which descended from 7 sires. Maze behavior was observed at the age of 15 weeks, an open-field test was applied at 16 weeks and 18 months. We found out highly significant differences in the time across of the maze among sire origin of heifers (P less than 0.01). The number of grid crossings over the five minutes of the open-field test did not vary among daughters of the age of 16 weeks and 18 months. Repeatability between numbers of grid crossing at the ages of 16 weeks and 18 months was proved by significant correlation (r=0.2713). On the contrary, significant relationships between times acrossing the maze and locomotor behaviour in the open-field test (r=-0.3739) were found only when the sequence of observations followed after a week long pause (ages of 15 and 16 weeks).
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