6 - The role of social behavior in cattle welfare

Abstract

Social behavior is learned early in life; it enables calves to adapt to later challenges, and rearing with the dam or with peers improves calf welfare compared to individual rearing. When calves are dam-reared, breaking the maternal–filial bond is stressful, but partial separation prior to final separation may mitigate this. Cattle form social bonds and perceive isolation as aversive. Social contact buffers adverse experiences, but living in a group also means competing for resources. This competition depends on resource availability; however, sharing resources may be facilitated by social stability. Regrouping is an animal welfare challenge because it implies breaking existing social bonds and establishing new dominance relations through aggressive behavior. However, maintaining some bonds may provide social buffering and reduce adverse effects of regrouping. At parturition, the cow’s social priorities change, and allowing her to seek seclusion may be important for cow welfare. To advance animal welfare, housing and management should stimulate normal social development and allow cattle to adapt to their social environment through affiliative behavior.