Relationships between social behaviour and mounting activity of Zebu cattle ( Bos indicus)

Abstract

To identify which of the behavioural signs occurring around oestrus might be relevant for improving oestrous detection and to identify a possible pattern among these signs for use in predicting mounting behaviour in Bos indicus, a herd of 18 Brahman cows were continuously observed for 40 days. Social activity was recorded and participants were characterized as either performers or receivers. These two categories were further subdivided into the following activities: licking (grooming), smelling the genital area, threatening, butting, following, attempting to mount and mounting. Oestrus was defined as the period of sexual activity including at least two mounts (allowing to be mounted) limited by ≥4 h of sexual inactivity. A total of 21 oestrous periods were observed from 13 animals. From a total of 6173 behavioural episodes observed, no consistency was found in their sequence or its relation preceding or following mounting activity. Butting was the most common ( P < 0.01) behaviour preceding a mount (32%) or an attempt to mount (42%). Cows during oestrus increased agonistic and non-agonistic behaviours. Among the latter, mounts and attempts to mount were the most common. During this period, licking and butting increased two times and 13 times ( P < 0.05), respectively. No specific pattern of oestrous signs could be established. However, an increase in frequency and preceding mounting value of butting was observed, and it is concluded that butting could contribute to oestrous detection efficiency, calling for the attention of the observer toward those cows displaying this behaviour.