Cattle Behavior Research Articles

Suckling Behaviour of Beef Calves during the First Five Days Postpartum

Observations of 17 heifer-calf pairs were collected over the first 5 days postpartum (p.p.) to study nursing and maternal behaviour of beef cattle. Cattle were managed in a 6 ha paddock and heifer–calf interactions were determined from both regular visual observations and video recordings. Of 17 potential calves, one was stillborn and 3 died in the first 5 days p.p. associated with dystocia and congenital malformation. Four further potential neonatal calf mortality risks were identified, which included poor calving site selection (n = 1), calf misadventure (n = 1), heifer-calf separation (n = 3) and mismothering (n = 3), with each resulting in distress, physical exhaustion of the calf and impaired nursing. There was marked variation between heifers in the expression of optimal maternal behaviours, with only 39% classified as ‘good’ mothers. Dam terminated nursing bouts were 27% shorter in duration than calf terminated nursing bouts; 29% of heifers terminated nursing bouts at least 50% of the time. Only 68% of observed suckling interactions were considered effective. On average, the nursing behaviour lasted 7.0 min, with sucking making up 54% of the total nursing time, the sucking rate was 2.0 sucks/s, and the calves performed 7.5 teat-switches, 2.4 butts and 0.9 teat-strips per min of nursing. In 67% of nursing interactions, the calves sucked on all four teats. By three days p.p., all calves developed a clear, consistent suckling pattern. Prior to this, the calves had shorter nursing bouts, spent less time nursing and manipulating the udder, paused more, switched teats and butted less, and had a slower sucking rate. The behaviour of some calves (i.e., low teat fidelity and high levels of milk stimulation behaviours) suggested that their dam milk availability was low. This study has quantified early post-partum nursing behaviour of neonatal beef calves and highlighted dam and calf behaviours that may adversely affect milk intake and, therefore, impact calf survival.

High Precision Classification of Resting and Eating Behaviors of Cattle by Using a Collar-Fitted Triaxial Accelerometer Sensor.

Cattle are less active than humans. Hence, it was hypothesized in this study that transmitting acceleration signals at a 1 min sampling interval to reduce storage load has the potential to improve the performance of motion sensors without affecting the precision of behavior classification. The behavior classification performance in terms of precision, sensitivity, and the F1-score of the 1 min serial datasets segmented in 3, 4, and 5 min window sizes based on nine algorithms were determined. The collar-fitted triaxial accelerometer sensor was attached on the right side of the neck of the two fattening Korean steers (age: 20 months) and the steers were observed for 6 h on day one, 10 h on day two, and 7 h on day three. The acceleration signals and visual observations were time synchronized and analyzed based on the objectives. The resting behavior was most correctly classified using the combination of a 4 min window size and the long short-term memory (LSTM) algorithm which resulted in 89% high precision, 81% high sensitivity, and 85% high F1-score. High classification performance (79% precision, 88% sensitivity, and 83% F1-score) was also obtained in classifying the eating behavior using the same classification method (4 min window size and an LSTM algorithm). The most poorly classified behavior was the active behavior. This study showed that the collar-fitted triaxial sensor measuring 1 min serial signals could be used as a tool for detecting the resting and eating behaviors of cattle in high precision by segmenting the acceleration signals in a 4 min window size and by using the LSTM classification algorithm.

Increasing mud levels in a feedlot influences beef cattle behaviours but not preference for feedlot or pasture environments

Public scrutiny surrounds the intensive feedlot finishing of beef cattle, likely due to the assumption that cattle cannot perform their full repertoire of natural behaviours. However, it is not well-known how certain aspects of the environment influence both cattle perception of a feedlot environment and the behaviours they perform within it, particularly with increasing levels of mud. The objective of this study was to perform a Y-maze test to assess the preference of Angus steers for either a pasture environment or a feedlot at three pad scores, which were based on increasing mud depth relative to the cattle’s hoof and leg. Cattle were tested both morning and afternoon for ten consecutive days, with lying behaviours and number of steps measured using IceQube® accelerometers. Here we show that day affected cattle’s preference for pasture versus feedlot environments, with choice alternating between consecutive days (P < 0.001), and cattle also exhibited a preference for pasture at night (P = 0.04). Although the paddock environment was preferred at all pad scores, increasing mud level did not significantly influence the preference of cattle for either environment (P = 0.39), and it is likely that both environments contained rewarding stimuli. There was a significant interaction between pad score and location for lying behaviours and number of steps taken (all P < 0.001), with the highest pad score being associated with reductions in these behaviours within the feedlot. Evidence of a rebound effect for lying behaviours in the paddock for this pad score indicates that high levels of mud may negatively impact welfare when no alternative space to lie is provided.

Forage particle size and forage preservation method modulate lying behaviour in dairy cows

It has been suggested that reducing forage particle size as well as feeding hay compared to silage may improve forage intake. Little is known, however, how such ration characteristics affect other aspects of cattle behaviour. Therefore, this study investigated the lying behaviour of cows in response to particle size reduction (LONG versus SHORT; Trial 1) and preservation method (SILAGE versus HAY; Trial 2) of forages which constituted ≥ 80% of the rations’ dry matter. Two feeding groups with 10 (Trial 1) and 9 Holstein cows each (Trial 2) received the experimental rations for approximately 5 weeks. Cows were housed in a free-stall barn with straw-bedded cubicles and rubberized floor in the alleys. Lying behaviour was recorded using HOBO Pendant® acceleration data loggers during the last 3 weeks of the experimental period as well as for 3 consecutive days during the week preceding the experiment, the latter serving as a baseline covariate to consider individual cow lying behaviour.SHORT-fed cows (Trial 1) had a longer daily lying time (+ 1.1 h/d; P = 0.003) and tended to have more lying bouts (+ 3.1; P = 0.090) than cows fed the LONG ration. In both groups, a preference towards the left lying side (57.4%) was observed. A similar pattern was observed for both groups with regard to rumination time while lying. Cows fed SILAGE or HAY (Trial 2) did not differ with regard to lying times (12.8 h/d). However, cows on HAY tended to lie less on the left side (- 1.1 h/d; P = 0.098) and had less lying bouts per day (- 2.5 bouts/d; P = 0.039). Consequently, these cows showed nearly an equal preference for the left and right lying side with 49.1% and 51.6%, respectively; whereas cows on SILAGE tended to prefer the left lying side (55.6%), also when ruminating. In contrast, cows on HAY tended to reduce rumination time on the left lying side (- 0.61 h/d; P = 0.079).Effects observed may be attributed to changes in eating behaviour as well as the amount of feed ingested in a given time period. Under the conditions investigated, time budgets for lying may be limited and changes of the forage characteristics (e.g. particle size reduction) could mitigate these constraints.

The feeding behavior of dairy cattle under tropical heat stress conditions at smallholder urban farming

Abstract. Despal, Faresty C, Zahera R, Toharmat R. 2022. Title The feeding behavior of dairy cattle under tropical heat stress conditions at smallholder urban farming. Biodiversitas 23: 3771-3777. Dairy cattle (Bos taurus) feeding behavior influences feed intake and affect animal welfare and disease management. This study observed dairy cattle feeding behaviors under tropical smallholder urban farming environments. Thirty-six cattle at the Kebon Pedes area of Bogor City were observed during 12 h feeding (6 am-6 pm). These traits included eating, ruminating, resting duration, and frequencies, measured using a continuous method. Temperature, humidity, temperature-humidity index (THI), feed and nutrient intake, milk production, and components were measured. The results showed that the cattle were in mild to severe heat stress. The average cow daily eating, ruminating, and resting frequencies were 6.61, 7.61, and 22.33 times, while the average eating, ruminating, and resting durations per cow per 12 h were 129.64, 105.67, and 484.69 minutes, respectively. The dry matter intake was 11.17 kg with a roughage to concentrate ratio of 0.73:1. The protein, ash, ether extract, and crude fiber intake were 10.25, 6.62, 3.67, and 22.08% DM, respectively. The average milk productions and fat contents were 11.01 L/head/d and 5.44%. The results showed that eating and ruminating levels correlated positively with feed, and CF intakes while resting correlated negatively. It was concluded that the cattle were in heat-stressed (THI of &gt;78) condition, reduced DM intake, and deficient in energy and CP, which led to lower milk production but higher milk components, specifically milk fat. It is recommended to improve forage quality that promotes eating and ruminating and reduces resting durations, improving milk production.

The Use of "Tail-Pedometers" to Evaluate the Impact of Dipterans in Feeder Cattle.

Simple SummaryHematophagous flies are a pest for livestock due to their bites, annoyance and the diseases they transmit. Cattle exposed to biting flies exhibit defence movements such as tail flicks. The evaluation of biting fly density and annoyance by counting tail flicks of cattle has been validated in the past, but it is highly time consuming. In this study, we evaluated the use of sport pedometers attached to the tails of feeder cattle, in order to evaluate tails flick frequency in two groups of six feeder cattle: Group A was protected by a mosquito net, and Group B was in open-air. Tail flicks were also recorded visually. In addition, insect density was evaluated using three fly traps in the surrounding of Group B. A strong correlation was observed between fly density and visual records of tail flicks; a stronger correlation was found between fly density and tail pedometer records. The reports of tail flicks at night were even able to draw attention to a huge infestation by mosquitoes. Finally, in these experimental conditions, tail pedometers proved to be useful tools in evaluating density and the impact of dipterans on cattle behaviour. They will be useful tools to evaluate new biting fly control methods.Hematophagous flies are a pest for livestock; their direct impact reduces productivity, and they are vectors of parasites, bacteria and viruses. Their control using insecticides is inefficient and highly polluting. The validation of new control tools requires efficacy and cost-effectiveness evaluation. The quantification of hematophagous insects’ impact in livestock is a challenging prerequisite. Tail flicks counts can reliably evaluate fly-burden; however, visual records are tedious and time-consuming. In the present study, automation of tail flick counts was made through the use of pedometers attached to the tail, in two groups of feeder cattle. Group A was kept in a pen under the protection of a mosquito net, and Group B was kept in an open-air pen. The fly density of Group B was evaluated using fly traps. The apparent density per trap ranged from 130 to 1700 in the study. The mean pedometer records per 24 h ranged from 957+/−58 bits in Group A to 11,138+/−705 bits in Group B. The night/day records observed in Group A (200/800 bits) were drastically increased in Group B (1000–4000/4000–14,000 bits) and variable along seasons. A very high correlation was observed between fly density and visual records or pedometer records (PR). Two-hour PRs proved to be a reliable predictive tool for fly density. Moreover, the pedometers revealed an unsuspected but significant nuisance of mosquitoes, which should be thoroughly investigated.

The housing system influences daily total locomotor activity (TLA) in dairy cows

ABSTRACT The daily pattern of total locomotor activity (TLA) of cattle kept in different housing conditions was investigated in order to evaluate whether TLA could be used as a useful index of animal welfare. Twenty Modicana cattle were divided into two equal groups: Group A, housed in a grazing area of 5 hectare, and Group B, housed in a paddock of 200 m2. Animals were equipped with activity-monitoring data loggers (Actiwatch-Mini®) to record the daily TLA for 7 days. The trigonometric statistical model, used to describe the rhythmic parameters (mesor, amplitude, acrophase and robustness of rhythm), indicated a diurnal rhythm of TLA in cattle. Animals belonging to Group B showed lower TLA, an anticipation of acrophase (time of activity peak) of TLA, and lower values of Mesor, amplitude and robustness of rhythm compared to Group A (p < 0.05). These results suggest that cattle in the paddock condition showed disturbed physiological characteristics of TLA displaying a flattening in its daily pattern compared to animals kept in the grazing area. This aspect should be taken into consideration of farming management in the planning of housing conditions, which should respect the requirement of locomotor activity and related physiological behaviors of cattle in order to guarantee the animal welfare.

Relationship between Temperate Grass Sward Characteristics and the Grazing Behavior of Dairy Heifers

Sward architecture mediates ruminant grazing behavior in temperate grazing lands. Temperate grasses differ in their sward structure, which may influence the grazing behavior of cattle. We determined relationships between the grazing behavior of dairy heifers and the sward structure of the following temperate grasses: meadow fescue (Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), quackgrass (Elymus repens (L.) Gould), and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). Vegetative-stage grasses were rotationally grazed by Holstein heifers (average initial body weight of 460 kg) during 5 day periods in the spring, summer, and fall of 2007 and 2008. The herbage dry matter (DM) allowance was twice the expected daily intake (11 kg DM animal−1 d−1). The sward characteristics were measured before grazing (e.g., the herbage height and mass, vertical distribution of leaf and stem fraction, and nutritive value). The grazing behavior of the heifers was quantified using automatic jaw movement recorders. In this study, the grass species had little effect on the grazing behavior. However, the bite rate was negatively correlated with the herbage mass, while the number of bites was positively correlated with the sward height and herbage mass. These results suggest that when herbage availability is not limited, grazing dairy heifers exhibit similar ingestive and rumination behavior across grass species and seasons, yet jaw movement dynamics may respond to the different characteristics of the swards. The results of this study provide the following benefits: (1) they inform managers about the jaw movement mechanics that can be expected of dairy heifers in temperate forage systems, showing that they are not limited by herbage allowance, and (2) they provide insight for future studies that employ on-animal sensors to evaluate foraging dynamics and animal performance outcomes in temperate forage pasture systems.

Effect of milking environment enrichment through music on production performance and behaviour in cattle.

Enrichment of milking environment through music has been proposed to help animals to cope with divergent stressors. In sight of the above, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Indian instrumental music-based environmental enrichment played in yaman raga on milk production performance and behaviour in cattle. A total of 21 lactating dairy cattle (Vrindavani crossbred cows) having similar parity and stage of lactation were selected in three groups - T1, T2 and T3, each consisting of seven animals. The T1 and T2 groups were exposed to instrumental flute and sitar, respectively, 10min prior to the start of milking and continued till completion of milking; while the T3 group served as control. Musical enrichment of the environment was done using recorded-tape of flute and sitar was played in yamen raga at 40-60 (dB) decibel intensity. The results revealed a non-significant difference in milk yield, rectal temperature, respiration rate, T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine) hormones. However, there exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) difference in milking time, milking speed, cortisol hormones and behavioural parameters such as milk let-down in the animals exposed to music compared to the control group. Thus, the results have significant implications relating to the behavioural fitness and welfare of dairy animals and reducing residual milk.

Thermal comfort and behavior of beef cattle in pasture-based systems monitored by visual observation and electronic device

Understanding how the bioclimatic factors influence the animals homeothermy and behavior is essential to implement good practices for tropical livestock. Thus, the objective of this work was to study the effect of the incorporation of the arboreal component in pasture production systems in a tropical environment on thermal comfort and to analyze the influence of the integrated crop-livestock-forestry system on the behavior of beef cattle. The study was carried out in São Carlos-SP, Brazil, region of tropical altitude subtype, for 13 months. Sixty-four Nelore (Bos indicus) and Canchim (5/8 Bos taurus x 3/8 Bos indicus) non-castrated males (26 months; 358 kg LW) were allocated to production systems with pastures in full sun (Group FS; n = 32) or with forested pastures (Group ICLF; n = 32). The microclimate of the pastures was permanently monitored by weather stations. The behavior of the animals was assessed through an observational method in monthly campaigns and a continuous electronic monitoring method based on the use of an accelerometer and acoustic sensor coupled to collars. Higher means of the black globe temperature index were registered in the morning and the afternoon, with a very challenging condition for the animals during the spring and summers, especially for the Group FS. The observational results showed that animals in the Group FS grazed longer in the morning than animals in the Group ICL, mainly in the warmer seasons (P < 0.05). The animals in FS remained lying down longer than the animals kept in the ICLF system, during rumination or resting (P < 0.05). The animals in the Group ICLF preferred the use of shaded areas within the forested system and their frequency of visits to the drinking fountain was reduced in the morning (−55 %) and afternoon (−26 %) shifts. Electronic monitoring showed that animals, regardless of the production system, spent 38.4 % of their time resting, 32.6 % in displacement, and 29.0 % in rumination. The animals in FS had a higher displacement time at night and dawn, and less time resting at night (22:00 h and 23:00 h) and dawn (2:00 h to 6:00 h), which affected their circadian rhythm and restricted the time devoted to restorative effects of rest. Therefore, the use of the arboreal component proved to be beneficial for obtaining a more favorable microclimate for raising cattle on pasture, being useful for increasing animal thermal comfort and for the expression of behavioral attitudes favorable to the maintenance of homeothermy in a tropical environment.

An experimental model to induce digital dermatitis in beef calves

BackgroundDigital dermatitis (DD) is a multifactorial infectious disease affecting the skin on feet of cattle causing erosion and inflammation above the heel bulbs. Some cases of DD cause lameness and significantly impact animal welfare and productivity. While DD has emerged as a concern for the beef industry, key information regarding early detection and its impact on cattle behaviour is lacking. The primary objective of this study was to determine if an established DD experimental model for dairy calves could be used to induce DD lesions in beef calves. A secondary objective was to describe changes in behaviour and pain associated with induction of DD lesions. Eight beef calves acquired from a single cow-calf operator were enrolled in the study. Upon enrolment, calves were evaluated and determined to be free of foot lesions. Within the experimental environment, calves were housed in individual pens and assigned to two groups (mock-inoculated and inoculated). Both hind feet of each calf were enrolled. Within calf, inoculation protocol was consistent, and a 28-day experimental protocol was employed. Two days prior to inoculation, both hind feet of each calf were abraded (area above the heel bulbs and below the dewclaws), moistened, and wrapped to facilitate an anaerobic condition. Feet were inoculated with macerated DD lesion material or mock inoculum and remained wrapped until clinical signs of DD or protocol endpoint.ResultsAfter a period of 14 to 18 days post inoculation, three of five inoculated calves developed clinical signs (lameness), and upon close inspection, DD lesions were present on at least one hind foot. Two of five inoculated calves did not develop lesions within 28 days. Zero of three mock-inoculated calves developed DD. Treponema spp. were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from biopsies of induced lesions. Measurements of behaviour prior to disease induction were numerically different between DD affected and mock-inoculated calves.ConclusionsAn experimental infection model established for dairy cattle was used to successfully induce acute DD lesions in three of five inoculated beef calves. This model can provide a framework to study intervention protocols and to evaluate the impact of DD on behaviour and pain.

Predicting the Feed Intake of Cattle Based on Jaw Movement Using a Triaxial Accelerometer

The use of an accelerometer is considered as a promising method for the automatic measurement of the feeding behavior or feed intake of cattle, with great significance in facilitating daily management. To address further need for commercial use, an efficient classification algorithm at a low sample frequency is needed to reduce the amount of recorded data to increase the battery life of the monitoring device, and a high-precision model needs to be developed to predict feed intake on the basis of feeding behavior. Accelerograms for the jaw movement and feed intake of 13 mid-lactating cows were collected during feeding with a sampling frequency of 1 Hz at three different positions: the nasolabial levator muscle (P1), the right masseter muscle (P2), and the left lower lip muscle (P3). A behavior identification framework was developed to recognize jaw movements including ingesting, chewing and ingesting–chewing through extreme gradient boosting (XGB) integrated with the hidden Markov model solved by the Viterbi algorithm (HMM–Viterbi). Fourteen machine learning models were established and compared in order to predict feed intake rate through the accelerometer signals of recognized jaw movement activities. The developed behavior identification framework could effectively recognize different jaw movement activities with a precision of 99% at a window size of 10 s. The measured feed intake rate was 190 ± 89 g/min and could be predicted efficiently using the extra trees regressor (ETR), whose R2, RMSE, and NME were 0.97, 0.36 and 0.05, respectively. The three investigated monitoring sites may have affected the accuracy of feed intake prediction, but not behavior identification. P1 was recommended as the proper monitoring site, and the results of this study provide a reference for the further development of a wearable device equipped with accelerometers to measure feeding behavior and to predict feed intake.

Effects of free-choice pasture access on lameness recovery and behavior of lame dairy cattle

Lameness is a common condition in dairy cows. Free-choice access to pasture may benefit lame cows by providing a softer and more comfortable lying and standing surface; however, the effects of this system on lameness have not yet been explored. We evaluated whether a 7-wk period of free-choice pasture access would improve lameness recovery and affect the lying behavior of lame dairy cows. Lactating Holstein cows, all clinically lame upon enrollment and housed inside a freestall barn, were pseudo-randomly allocated to 1 of 2 treatments (balancing for gait score, parity, and previous lameness history): free-choice access to pasture (n = 27; pasture) or indoor housing only (n = 27; indoor). Cows were gait scored weekly by an observer blind to treatment, using a 5-point numerical rating system (NRS 1 = sound, NRS 5 = severely lame), and hoof inspections were performed by professional trimmers at the start and end of the 7-wk period. Lying behavior was assessed using accelerometers. Cows were categorized as either having a sound period (NRS <2 over 2 consecutive weeks) or remaining lame. Cows spent, on average, 14.8 ± 10.0% (mean ± SD) of their total time on pasture, with much of this time spent outside at night. Over the 7-wk period, 42% of cows had at least one sound period (pasture: 55.6%, indoor: 26.9%), but this was more likely for cows with pasture access (odds ratio = 4.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.1-14.6%). Pasture cows also spent more total weeks sound compared with indoor cows (2.0 ± 0.34 vs. 0.81 ± 0.35 wk). Cows with pasture access lay down for less overall time than indoor cows (13.9 ± 0.29 vs. 12.7 ± 0.28 h/d) and spent more time standing on pasture (74%) than when indoors (47%). These results suggest that lame dairy cows will use pasture when provided with free-choice access, primarily at night, and that access to pasture aids in lameness recovery. We encourage future research to investigate longer-term effects on the recovery of hoof lesions and reoccurrence of lameness cases.

Development of a New Wearable 3D Sensor Node and Innovative Open Classification System for Dairy Cows' Behavior.

Simple SummaryIn order to keep dairy cows under satisfactory health and welfare conditions, it is very important to monitor the animals in their living environment. With the support of technology, and, in particular, with the installation of sensors on neck-collars, cow behavior can be adequately monitored, and different behavioral patterns can be classified. In this study, an open and customizable device has been developed to classify the behaviors of dairy cows. The device communicates with a mobile application via Bluetooth to acquire raw data from behavioral observations and via an ad hoc radio channel to send the data from the device to the gateway. After observing 32 cows on 3 farms for a total of 108 h, several machine learning algorithms were trained to classify their behaviors. The decision tree algorithm was found to be the best compromise between complexity and accuracy to classify standing, lying, eating, and ruminating. The open nature of the system enables the addition of other functions (e.g., localization) and the integration with other information sources, e.g., climatic sensors, to provide a more complete picture of cow health and welfare in the barn.Monitoring dairy cattle behavior can improve the detection of health and welfare issues for early interventions. Often commercial sensors do not provide researchers with sufficient raw and open data; therefore, the aim of this study was to develop an open and customizable system to classify cattle behaviors. A 3D accelerometer device and host-board (i.e., sensor node) were embedded in a case and fixed on a dairy cow collar. It was developed to work in two modes: (1) acquisition mode, where a mobile application supported the raw data collection during observations; and (2) operating mode, where data was processed and sent to a gateway and on the cloud. Accelerations were sampled at 25 Hz and behaviors were classified in 10-min windows. Several algorithms were trained with the 108 h of behavioral data acquired from 32 cows on 3 farms, and after evaluating their computational/memory complexity and accuracy, the Decision Tree algorithm was selected. This model detected standing, lying, eating, and ruminating with an average accuracy of 85.12%. The open nature of this system enables for the addition of other functions (e.g., real-time localization of cows) and the integration with other information sources, e.g., microenvironment and air quality sensors, thereby enhancing data processing potential.

Personality and predictability in farmed calves using movement and space-use behaviours quantified by ultra-wideband sensors.

Individuals within a population often show consistent between individual differences in their average behavioural expression (personality), and consistent differences in their within individual variability of behaviour around the mean (predictability). Where correlations between different personality traits and/or the predictability of traits exist, these represent behavioural or predictability syndromes. In wild populations, behavioural syndromes have consequences for individuals' survival and reproduction and affect the structure and functioning of groups and populations. The consequences of behavioural syndromes for farm animals are less well explored, partly due to the challenges in quantifying behaviour of many individuals across time and context in a farm setting. Here, we use ultra-wideband location sensors to provide precise measures of movement and space use for 60 calves over 40–48 days. We are the first livestock study to demonstrate consistent within and between individual variation in movement and space use with repeatability values of up to 0.80 and CVp values up to 0.49. Our results show correlations in personality and predictability, indicating the existence of ‘exploratory’ and ‘active’ personality traits in farmed calves. We consider the consequences of such individual variability for cattle behaviour and welfare and how such data may be used to inform management decisions in farm animals.

Evaluation of Compacted Forage Feed on Kupang Cattle Feeding Behavior

Forage compact feed has the ability to cut the adaptation period of grazing cattle when transported, because they are used to consume forage. The effect of the form and type of forage formulation on the feeding behavior of cattle needs to be studied further to determine the preferences of cattle for this compact feed. This study used 36 cattle with 3 replications in each treatment. The 2 factor groups withfactorial design consisting formulation and form of feed was applied in this study. The forms of feed used in this study were wafers, pellets, dried pellets, and cubes. The formulations used in this study were formulation 1 (10% molasses, 30% indigofera leaves, 50% straw, 10% elephant grass); formulation 2 (10% molasses, 30% indigofera leaves, 60% straw); formulation 3 (10% molasses, 20% indigofera leaves, 65% straw, 5% hemp). The parameters observed in this study were eating behavior of cattle which consisted of the frequency and duration of eating, drinking, rumination, and resting. The results showed that there wasan interaction on eating frequency and cattle duration. Formulation 3 on wafer treatment had the highest feeding frequency (P&lt;0.05). Formulation 1 on wafer treatment had the highest duration of rumination (P&lt;0.05). In the conclusion, Formulation 1 and 3 with wafer shape showed the best behavior for eating.

A deep learning-based cow behavior recognition scheme for improving cattle behavior modeling in smart farming

Farming and animal husbandry applications are improvised with the implication of machine learning and artificial intelligence in recent years. The precise estimation, recommendations, and performances are the prime reason for the technology implication. Owing to the modern agricultural and animal cultures, this article introduces an innovative Behavior Recognition and Computation Scheme (BRCS) for predicting cow behaviors. The information from the swallowed microchip is processed based on the observed animal action that is used for the forecast. Considering the information to be rectilinear, the distractions and distribution patterns (data) are augmented in identifying and forecasting its behavior. The proposed scheme identifies the patterns using a deep recurrent learning paradigm recurrently. This pattern is distinguished for idle and non-idle observations for improving the prediction accuracy. Distinguished data patterns are mapped for the consecutive time and observation data in classifying abnormalities. The proposed scheme's performance is validated using the metrics accuracy, precision, computing time, and mean error.

Cattle behavior recognition based on feature fusion under a dual attention mechanism

In recent years, artificial intelligence has been widely used in such fields as agricultural informatization, precision agriculture and precision animal husbandry. Due to limited research on deep learning in real-time agricultural and pastoral situations, deep learning and computer vision have become very important topics in the agricultural field. Recent studies have shown that the fusion of features under different attention mechanisms will help advance the utilization of such features, and will thus influence the accuracy and generalization ability of the models used. In this paper, we propose a lightweight network structure based on feature fusion under a dual attention mechanism with the same activation and joint loss functions. More specifically, we propose an innovative method to improve the network structure of two different attention mechanisms, and achieve feature fusion by combining the two. At the same time, we keep the activation functions consistent with those of the original network structure, and we develop a joint loss function to expand the use of various features. We also take the novel approach of applying the trajectory behavior analysis method to walking and standing. Experiments using both a publicly available data set and a data set obtained from a farm show that our algorithm achieves state-of-the-art performance in terms of accuracy and generalization ability, as compared to other methods.

Relationships of the Microbial Communities with Rumen Epithelium Development of Nellore Cattle Finished in Feedlot Differing in Phenotypic Residual Feed Intake.

Simple SummarySeveral data have been published in the literature on the feed efficiency of cattle, measured through residual feed intake, in which the focus is to reduce production costs and improve cattle producer’s profit margins. Most of this variation in animal intake has been attributed to changes in animal metabolism, such as the rate of short-chain fatty acids absorption by the rumen epithelium, hepatic and mitochondrial metabolism, feeding behavior, and content of empty body fat. All these factors impact the anabolism/catabolism of substrates reaching the blood system. However, studies evaluating the composition of the rumen microbial community of animals differing in residual feed intake are scarce, and, therefore, this study aimed to compare the ruminal microbial communities, rumen morphometrics, feeding behavior, feedlot performance, and carcass characteristics of Nellore cattle, ranked by residual feed intake. Our results suggest that ruminal microbial community was not affected across different groups of residual feed intake, suggesting that differences in the efficiency of Nellore animals are associated with other factors.The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among ruminal microbial community, rumen morphometrics, feeding behavior, feedlot performance, and carcass characteristics of Nellore cattle, classified by residual feed intake (RFI). Twenty-seven Nellore yearling bulls with an initial body weight (BW) of 423.84 ± 21.81 kg were fed in feedlot for 107 d in individual pens to determine the RFI phenotype. Bulls were categorized as high RFI (>0.5 SD above the mean, n = 8), medium RFI (±0.5 SD from the mean, n = 9), and low RFI (<0.5 SD below the mean, n = 10). At harvest, whole rumen content samples were collected from each bull to evaluate ruminal microbial community, including bacteria and protozoa. The carcass characteristics were determined by ultrasonography at the beginning and at the end of the experimental period, and behavior data were collected on d 88. As a result of ranking Nellore bulls by RFI, cattle from low-RFI group presented lesser daily dry matter intake (DMI), either in kilograms (p < 0.01) or as percentage of BW (p < 0.01) than high-RFI yearling bulls, resulting in improved gain:feed (G:F). However, variables, such as average daily gain (ADG), final BW, hot carcass weight (HCW) and other carcass characteristics did not differ (p > 0.05) across RFI groups. The eating rate of either dry matter (DM )(p = 0.04) or neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (p < 0.01) was slower in medium-RFI yearling bulls. For ruminal morphometrics an RFI effect was observed only on keratinized layer thickness, in which a thinner layer (p = 0.04) was observed in low-RFI Nellore yearling bulls. Likewise, Nellore yearling bulls classified by the RFI did not differ in terms of Shannon’s diversity (p = 0.57) and Chao richness (p = 0.98). Our results suggest that the differences in feed efficiency of Nellore bulls differing in phenotypic RFI should be attributed to metabolic variables other than ruminal microorganisms and epithelium, and deserves further investigation.

Effects of Social Housing on Dairy Calf Social Bonding.

Simple SummaryAlthough cows and calves are typically separated at birth in intensive dairy farming, socially housing dairy calves provides an opportunity for social bonding. When tested in our study, calves housed in pairs preferred to be near their pen-mate, but spent more time near other calves regardless of their familiarity, compared to individually housed calves. In contrast, individually housed calves showed no preference between a calf housed within visual contact and a calf housed elsewhere in the barn. Additionally, the behavior of individually housed calves was affected by the first calf approached during the social preference test.Social housing for dairy calves has a range of benefits for social development, yet there is limited understanding of how social bonds form early in life. We characterized effects of early life social contact on the development of social preference for calves varying in familiarity. A total of 40 calves were tested in a social preference test at 4 weeks of age to assess the formation of social bonds and preference for their peers. Within an open-field social preference test, focal calves were presented with two stimulus calves, one ‘more familiar’ and one ‘less familiar’. We found that pair-housed calves spent more time in close proximity with either stimulus calf and had a greater preference for their pen-mate, compared to another calf reared within visual contact. Individually housed calves exhibited no preference for calves reared within visual but not physical contact compared to calves that were completely unfamiliar. Of the calves that approached both stimulus calves, individually housed calves that approached the ‘less familiar’ calf first spent less time near the ‘more familiar’ calf, whereas behavior of pair-housed calves was not affected by the first calf approached. These results suggest that physical contact is necessary for the development of social bonds in young dairy calves, and early life social housing may support the development of normal social behavior in dairy cattle.