Social organization among young beef cattle in confinement

Abstract

Social organization or dominance hierarchies were demonstrated among beef steers as young as 250 days of age. Two groups of five and seven crossbred beef steers were scored for agonistic encounters, and these data were used to determine dominant—subordinate relationships. The effects of removing and adding animals to groups were determined by mixing some members from the groups of five and adding new members to obtain the groups of seven. Weight was positively correlated ( P< 0.05) with dominance value (0.55). There was evidence that the dominance orders were formed soon after weaning and that the orders remained stable even when the groups were moved to other pens.