194 Effects of maternal behavior at calving, parity and season on dam behavior during fenceline weaning

Abstract

Abstract The study objective was to assess the effect of maternal behavior at calving, parity and season on dam behavior during the first 24 h of fence-line weaning. Crossbred cattle (n = 58) were fitted with global positioning system collars on the day of weaning their calves and placed in a 10.1-ha pasture adjacent to their calves and separated by a common fence. Dam position was recorded at 5-minute intervals. Dam distance from the fence was analyzed using SAS PROC MIXED. Both maternal aggression score during calf handling within 24 h of calving (MA: 1 = flight response to 5 = fight response) and mothering aptitude score immediately following calf processing at calving (MOM: 1 = calf abandonment, 2 = cow retreats quickly with calf, 3 = cow flees chasing calf, 4 = cow walks away with calf, 5 = cow stays in immediate area with calf) affected mean daily distance to the fence (P < 0.01). Dams assigned a MA of 5 maintained the greatest (P < 0.01) mean daily distance from the fence (274.8 ± 1.0 m), whereas dams assigned a MA of 2 or 1 maintained the least (209.5 ± 0.8 m) (P < 0.01) and second least (220.5 ± 0.8 m) (P < 0.01) mean daily distance from the fence. Daily distance from the fence was in sequential order from greatest to least for dams with MOM scores of 3, 1, 5, 2, and 4 (P < 0.01). Distance from the fence was greater (P < 0.01) during fall than spring and greater (P < 0.01) for multiparous than primiparous dams. This suggests that maternal behavior at calving is related to maternal behavior at weaning and that parity and season also influence weaning behavior of dams.