Behavior and maze learning ability of dairy calves as influenced by housing, sex and sire

Abstract

Two-hundred-and-seventy-five calves were allowed to enter a maze to determine how genetic and environmental effects influenced their time, direction first turned upon entry (laterality), and activity in a maze. Calves were put into the maze five times on Days 1, 2 and 3 post-weaning. Diet did not affect time, distance traveled, or activity score in the maze of 53 calves. On Day 2, males were slower to find the food source than females. On Day 3, calves reared in polyvinyl domes initially turned right more often than explained by chance. Activity differed between calves from different sires, sexes, during certain trials, and when the location of the food source was changed. There was nearly a threefold difference between sire groups in time required to pass through the maze. Maze time was slowest on Day 1, fastest on Day 2, and intermediate on Day 3 (when the location of the food source was changed). Sire groups differed in activity scores on all 3 days. There were significant correlations between maze time and activity scores, between activity score and laterality and between time and laterality on some days.