Pérez-Torres L, Orihuela A, Corro M, Rubio I, Cohen A, Galina C S
Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México.
Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
J Anim Sci. 2014 Oct;92(10):4694-700. doi: 10.2527/jas.2013-7394. Epub 2014 Aug 22.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the maternal protective behavior of zebu-type cattle (Bos indicus) and its association with temperament. A total of 40 cow-calf pairs raised under extensive conditions were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups (n = 10), which were evaluated at 30, 60, 90, and 120 d postpartum (dpp), respectively. Measures obtained were defense responses of cows protecting their calves assessed by categorizing the behavioral response of the dams during handling of their calves and chute exit score and facial hair whorl (HW) position as indirect measures associated with temperament. No association was found between protective behavior and exit score or HW measures (rs < 0.22 and 0.13, respectively; P > 0.05). At 30 dpp, 90% of the cows responded to the stimulus of calves being handled, 40% reacted exclusively to alien calves, and 50% responded to their own or alien calves. Sixty days later, the proportion of cows responding to alien calves decreased (P < 0.05) to 10%, and at 120 dpp, cows responding to any calf decreased (P < 0.05) to 20%, while the nonresponding cows increased (P < 0.05) to 60%. Similarly, as dpp increased, the intensity of the reaction of the cows to the manipulation of their calves declined. The intensity of the response was exacerbated (P < 0.05) when a human being was less than 1 m distance from the calf, also when the calf was its own or when the calf vocalized. Furthermore, independent of the sex of their own calf, cows reacted more to male than female calves (P < 0.05). It was concluded that zebu cows may display maternal protective behavior to their own or alien calves, which weakens about 120 dpp and is not influenced by individual temperament.
本研究的目的是评估瘤牛型牛（印度野牛）的母性保护行为及其与性情的关联。总共40对母牛 - 犊牛在粗放条件下饲养，随机分配到4组中的1组（n = 10），分别在产后30、60、90和120天（dpp）进行评估。所获得的测量指标包括通过对母牛在处理其犊牛期间的行为反应进行分类来评估母牛保护其犊牛的防御反应，以及斜槽出口评分和面部毛涡（HW）位置作为与性情相关的间接测量指标。未发现保护行为与出口评分或HW测量指标之间存在关联（rs分别<0.22和0.13；P>0.05）。在产后30天，90%的母牛对处理犊牛的刺激有反应，40%仅对外来犊牛有反应，50%对自己的或外来的犊牛有反应。60天后，对外来犊牛有反应的母牛比例下降（P<0.05）至10%，在产后120天，对任何犊牛有反应的母牛比例下降（P<0.05）至20%，而无反应的母牛增加（P<0.05）至60%。同样，随着产后天数增加，母牛对其犊牛被操作的反应强度下降。当人与犊牛距离小于1米时，当犊牛是其自己的或犊牛发声时，反应强度会加剧（P<0.05）。此外，无论自己犊牛的性别如何，母牛对雄性犊牛的反应比对雌性犊牛的反应更大（P<0.05）。得出的结论是，瘤牛母牛可能会对自己的或外来的犊牛表现出母性保护行为，这种行为在产后约120天减弱，且不受个体性情影响。
