No abstract

To evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment on behavioral, physiological and productive characteristics, 71 Japanese Black × Holstein steers (8 months of age; 299.5 ± 22.6 kg) were allocated to three pens in two repetitive experiments. Pen C (n = 11 and 12) consisted of a feeding alley for grain feed, a trough for dry hay, a water bowl and a resting space as a control pen. Pen D (n = 12 and 12) included a drum can (58 cm diameter ×90 cm height) containing hay. Pen GD (n = 12 and 12) included a drum can that was placed around artificial plastic turf (30 × 120 cm) for grooming. The drum cans were removed after 5 months of installation. Behavioral observations were made for 2 h at 10 min intervals after feeding on three successive days each month for 10 months. Agonistic interactions were also continuously observed for 1 h after feeding to assess the dominance order (DO). Sampling blood and measuring bodyweight were performed bimonthly. The steers used the drum can frequently for 3 months after installation (1st, 2nd, 3rd months vs 4 months, all P < 0.05). The frequency of total eating of grain feed and hay was higher in pen D and pen GD than in pen C (both P < 0.01), while it was lowest in pen GD after removal of the drum can (P < 0.05). Grooming at the drum can was observed more frequently in pen GD than in pen D (P < 0.05). After they finished eating the grain feed, they ate hay at the drum can that contained additional hay rather than at the trough for hay (P < 0.01). Plasma dopamine concentrations were higher in pen D than in pen C (P < 0.05), and serum triglyceride concentrations were higher in pen C than in pen GD (P < 0.05) during the installation of the drum can. After removal of the drum can, serum total cholesterol concentrations became higher in pen D and GD than in pen C (both P < 0.05). Average daily gain correlated positively with the frequency of eating hay at the drum can in pen D (r s = 0.52, P < 0.01). In pen GD, the frequency of using the drum can correlated negatively with DO (r s = −0.59, P < 0.01). Carcass belly fat was thicker in pens D and GD than in pen C (both P < 0.01). In pen GD, the frequency of eating hay (r s = 0.79, P < 0.01) and grooming at the drum can (r s = 0.63, P < 0.05) correlated positively with the marbling score. Although social factor affected the steers using the drum can, installing it in the early fattening stage encouraged the steers to eat and groom there and resulted in better carcass characteristics through the prolonged physiological positive effects.

The objective of this study was to investigate transportation conditions and behavioral and physiological responses of beef steers to long distance commercial transport throughout the year Japan. Japanese Black ¥ Holstein steers (7.9 Ϯ 0.6 months of age; 320.0 Ϯ 19.0 kg) were transported by truck in spring (n = 8), summer (n = 5), autumn (n = 8) and winter (n = 5). Transport distances (time) were 1020.6 km (25 h including lairage periods): 615.4 km (6.4 h) on expressways, 163.2 km (3.7 h) on arterial roads and 242.0 km (10.5 h) by ferry. The space allowance of the truck was about 1.6 m 2 /head in all seasons. Internal temperatures of the truck were 14.7 Ϯ 4.7°C in spring, 27.9 Ϯ 2.6°C in summer, 24.4 Ϯ 2.8°C in autumn and 9.2 Ϯ 4.3°C in winter. Although internal noise and airflow velocity of the truck were louder and greater while moving on expressways (101.1 Ϯ 8.3 dB and 1.50 Ϯ 1.50 m/s) than on arterial roads (92.0 Ϯ 15.2 dB and 1.32 Ϯ 1.41 m/s) (both P < 0.05), more steers lay down while moving on expressways (P < 0.001). Blood glucose, plasma cortisol, and serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations and ALT activity were higher in spring (all P < 0.05). This could be explained by that vibration acceleration (m/s 2 ) of the truck in the longitudinal direction was greater in spring (-0.19 Ϯ 0.43) than in the other seasons (-0.14 Ϯ 0.09 in summer, -0.15 Ϯ 0.20 in autumn and -0.15 Ϯ 0.13 in winter) (all P < 0.05). Heart rate, serum concentrations of T3, total cholesterol, total protein, and AST and ALT activities were higher just after transport than 1 week after transport (all P < 0.05). However, transport stress should be not severe, since no difference between before and after transport was shown on concentrations of plasma cortisol, blood lactate and serum NEFA, serum triglyceride and serum pH and liveweight.

The applicability of three behavioral assessments of lactating cows as management traits was verified. Flight responses to an approaching human (flight starting and walking distances, and flight walking speed) at pasture, entrance order into the milking parlour and step-kick behavior to cup attachment were observed for 713 subject cows in six Australasian dairy farms. On all farms, cows were kept at pasture without any barn housing. Flight responses were measured once, and other assessments were recorded repeatedly for each subject cow. A principal component analysis was performed to verify whether these assessments appear to measure the same trait. A two-way ANOVA and correlation analyses were then used to test whether obtained principal components were affected by farm, age and milking stage of cows. Australian and some Japanese herd management systems were compared for flight distance using a one-way ANOVA and a multiple comparison test. Three behavioral assessments clustered in different principal components, indicating that these assessments did not appear to measure the same trait. Factor scores of four principal components were affected by farm (all, P < 0.01), and the scores of principal component 1, interpreted as fear of humans ( r = -0.16, P < 0.01), and component 2, interpreted as aversion to cup attachment ( r = -0.28, P < 0.01), were moderately correlated with age. These results emphasize the necessity of data standardization to reduce the non-genetic variation resulting from these two affectors. The flight distance at pasture of herds in Australia (6.06 ± 2.85 m) was significantly ( P < 0.05) different from the flight distances measured in paddocks (1.50 ± 0.82 m) and free-stall barns (1.22 ± 1.09 m) in Japan. However, mean distances were not different between the Australian herds at pasture and the Japanese herds at pasture in tie-stall barns (3.96 ± 2.16 m) or in a freestall barn (4.03 ± 1.79 m). This difference could be a result of the fact that only a single measurement was made, so that repeated measurement might improve the usefulness of flight distance as a management trait. In conclusion, it was verified that step-kick behavior to cup attachment and flight responses to human approach were, although they have some affectors, applicable as objective management traits in lactating cows.

We investigated 10 suckling cross-bred calves (Japanese Black (Wagyu) x Holstein) and collected data on the physiological stress responses of the young calves to long-haul road transportation. All calves were male and 21-47 days of age. The calves were obtained at a livestock market and were transported from the market to the university in a commercial livestock vehicle. The total haul distance and time were 306.9 km and 7 h, respectively. The calves were deprived of food and water during transportation. Blood samples, electrocardiograms, and rectal temperatures were collected immediately after transportation and after one week of habituation at the university. Serum pH was significantly lower (P < 0.01), while serum triiodothyronine, aspartate aminotransferase, non-esterified fatty acids (all P < 0.05), and heart rate (P < 0.01) were significantly higher immediately after transportation. The concentrations of blood lactic acid (P = 0.08) and serum alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.06) tended to be higher after transportation. These physiological responses suggest that the stress caused by long-haul transportation causes significant effects on liver function in young calves.