A quantitative study of pre-ovulatory behaviour in cattle (British Friesian heifers)

Esslemont, R. J.; Glencross, R.G.; Bryant, M. J.; Pope, G. S.

doi:10.1016/0304-3762(80)90090-5

Cited by 48 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Avoid: I avoids R, although R does not visibly threaten I directly beforehand (Mülleder et al, 2003: I avoids R, although R does not threaten I directly beforehand). Rump lick: I licks rump region of R (Esslemont et al, 1980: licking back-licking of the back half of the recipient). Side mount: Mounting sideways with or without standing response (Esslemont et al, 1980: disoriented mounting-mounting head-to-side).…”

Section: Behavior Recording and Data Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Side mount: Mounting sideways with or without standing response (Esslemont et al, 1980: disoriented mounting-mounting head-to-side). Mounting: Mounting and succeeding in resting both legs on rump (Esslemont et al, 1980: mounting of another cow from behind).…”

Section: Behavior Recording and Data Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of studies conducted over the last decades have primarily focused on mounting behavior (Trimberger, 1948;Esslemont et al, 1980). Hurnik et al (1975) described vulva sniffing and chin pressing (resting), but early studies did not regard chin resting as indicative of estrus (Foote, 1975).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hurnik et al (1975) described vulva sniffing and chin pressing (resting), but early studies did not regard chin resting as indicative of estrus (Foote, 1975). These signs, in addition to aggressive and mounting behaviors, were later quantified by Esslemont et al (1980). However, as anogenital sniffing and chin resting also occur in other stages of the estrous cycle (Phillips and Schofield, 1990), the challenge for the observer is to determine whether a cow exhibiting this behavior is in STE.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavior of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows during spontaneous cycles of estrus

Sveberg

Refsdal²,

Erhard

et al. 2011

Journal of Dairy Science

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The objectives of the present study were to describe, in detail, behavior associated with standing estrus (STE) in lactating dairy cows and behavioral changes during complete estrous cycles. Estrus signs were monitored by continuous video recording of 20 Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows housed on an outdoor wood-chip pad during 1 estrous cycle (22 d). Other social behavior was recorded during STE and, for comparison, during 1 selected day when none of the cows were in estrus. Standing stationary when mounted was defined as the primary estrus sign. Anogenital sniff, chin rest, attempt to mount, and mount were defined as secondary estrus signs. Ovarian cyclicity was confirmed by progesterone measurements. This study reports short mean duration of STE (7.1 ± 1.44 h) and estrus (mount period; 12.9 ± 1.84 h) of the 13 cows expressing these signs. All mounting activities involved at least one cow in, or within 4 h of, STE. The most frequent sign during STE was anogenital sniff initiated, followed by chin rest received, chin rest initiated, chase up initiated, anogenital sniff received, mount initiated, head butt, mount received, attempt to mount initiated, push away received, play rub, attempt to mount received, follow initiated, threat received, flehmen, avoid, bellow, and social lick received. Standing and mounting activity in HF cows was inconsistent during estrus, indicating that other signs could be of greater use. The frequency of secondary estrus signs initiated and received increased gradually during the last 12 h before STE, revealing significant differences between periods from 4 to 6 and 1 to 3 h before STE. A considerable increase in receptive behavior (secondary estrus signs received) was identified between 1 to 3 h prior to STE and STE. Both frequent initiated and received behaviors were associated with STE. A significant decrease in the frequency of secondary estrus signs initiated and received occurred 3 h after STE. Cows in STE simultaneously predominantly chose the other standing cow as mate and expressed secondary estrus signs more frequently. Based on the results of this study, we suggest that chase up could be regarded as a reliable indicator of estrus and that the changes in proceptive (initiated) and receptive (received) behavior could be used as predictors of different stages in estrus. Knowledge of these behavioral signs may improve heat detection rates and the ability to predict the optimum breeding time for dairy cows.

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Section: Behavior Recording and Data Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Behavior Recording and Data Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Behavior of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows during spontaneous cycles of estrus

Sveberg

Refsdal²,

Erhard

et al. 2011

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…The physical signs include mucous discharges from the vulva, swelling of the vulva and reddening of the vaginal mucosa. The behavioural signs, studied in detail by Hurnik et al (1975) and Esslemont et al (1980), include restlessness and mounting activities as well as increased levels of nudging, chin-resting, sniffing and licking of the genital area of other cows, and flehmen. Mounting activities include both mounting of other cows and being mounted by other cows.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Central genomic regulation of the expression of oestrous behaviour in dairy cows: a review

Woelders

Lende²,

Kommadath

et al. 2014

Animal

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The expression of oestrous behaviour in Holstein Friesian dairy cows has progressively decreased over the past 50 years. Reduced oestrus expression is one of the factors contributing to the current suboptimal reproductive efficiency in dairy farming. Variation between and within cows in the expression of oestrous behaviour is associated with variation in peripheral blood oestradiol concentrations during oestrus. In addition, there is evidence for a priming role of progesterone for the full display of oestrous behaviour. A higher rate of metabolic clearance of ovarian steroids could be one of the factors leading to lower peripheral blood concentrations of oestradiol and progesterone in high-producing dairy cows. Oestradiol acts on the brain by genomic, non-genomic and growth factor-dependent mechanisms. A firm base of understanding of the ovarian steroid-driven central genomic regulation of female sexual behaviour has been obtained from studies on rodents. These studies have resulted in the definition of five modules of oestradiol-activated genes in the brain, referred to as the GAPPS modules. In a recent series of studies, gene expression in the anterior pituitary and four brain areas (amygdala, hippocampus, dorsal hypothalamus and ventral hypothalamus) in oestrous and luteal phase cows, respectively, has been measured, and the relation with oestrous behaviour of these cows was analysed. These studies identified a number of genes of which the expression was associated with the intensity of oestrous behaviour. These genes could be grouped according to the GAPPS modules, suggesting close similarity of the regulation of oestrous behaviour in cows and female sexual behaviour in rodents. A better understanding of the central genomic regulation of the expression of oestrous behaviour in dairy cows may in due time contribute to improved (genomic) selection strategies for appropriate oestrus expression in high-producing dairy cows.Keywords: sexual behaviour, dairy cow, oestrus, gene expression, brain ImplicationsReduced oestrus expression is one of the factors contributing to the current suboptimal reproductive efficiency in dairy cows. A recent series of publications that correlated the level of oestrous behaviour expression to gene expression levels in the cow brain and anterior pituitary are reviewed here and their findings placed in perspective of what is known about sexual behaviour from studies on other species. The improved understanding of the central genomic regulation of oestrous behaviour expression may in due time contribute to improved (genomic) selection strategies for appropriate oestrus expression in high-producing dairy cows. IntroductionMaintaining good fertility and thereby optimum reproductive performance in dairy cows is of great economic importance for the dairy industry. Artificial insemination of cows is widely practiced in modern dairy farming. To ensure timely insemination and thereby maximize conception rates in the herd and profitability of the farm, it is important that the farmer does not m...

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Farm animals

Sherwin¹

1994

Video Techniques in Animal Ecology and Behaviour

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A quantitative study of pre-ovulatory behaviour in cattle (British Friesian heifers)

Cited by 48 publications

References 12 publications

Behavior of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows during spontaneous cycles of estrus

Behavior of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows during spontaneous cycles of estrus

Central genomic regulation of the expression of oestrous behaviour in dairy cows: a review

Farm animals

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