Indication of a personality trait in dairy calves and its link to weight gain through automatically collected feeding behaviours

Abstract

Farm animal personality traits are of interest since they can help predict individual variation in behaviour and productivity. However, personality traits are currently inferred using behavioural tests which are impractical outside of research settings. To meet the definition of a personality trait, between-individual differences in related behaviours must be temporally as well as contextually stable. In this study, we used data collected by computerised milk feeders from 76 calves over two contexts, pair housing and group housing, to test if between-individual differences in feeding rate and meal frequency meet the definition for a personality trait. Results show that between-individual differences in feeding rate and meal frequency were related, and, for each behaviour, between-individual differences were positively and significantly correlated across contexts. In addition, feeding rate and meal frequency were positively and significantly associated with weight gain. Together, these results indicate the existence of a personality trait which positions high meal frequency, fast drinking, fast growing calves at one end and low meal frequency, slow drinking, and slow growing calves at the other. Our results suggest that data already available on commercial farms could be harnessed to establish a personality trait.

Familiarity, age, weaning and health status impact social proximity networks in dairy calves

“…In the current study calves associated heterogeneously for the majority of the 4-day periods, meaning that they had more interactions with certain individuals, which is in agreement with previous studies also showing heterogeneity in social networks in dairy calves 20 , 31 . A higher degree of selectivity has been previously linked to pessimism in dairy calves 60 , and therefore highlights the possible link between social network measures and personality measures, for which there is emerging evidence in calves 61 – 63 . Additionally, the results on network stability indicate that networks were not stable all the time as only 41% of all the possible correlations between any two 4-day aggregated networks were significantly positive.…”

Evidence of personality-dependent plasticity in dairy calf movement behaviours derived from automated data collection

“…The weaning process started with a gradual decrease of the allowance after 37 days from the move to the group pen and completed after 57 days. For a more detailed description of the feeding protocols and allowances see Carslake et al 39 .…”

Literature Review on Technological Applications to Monitor and Evaluate Calves’ Health and Welfare

“…For example, it was shown that calves had a preference for whole milk over milk replacers [ 41 ]. AMFS information was also used to associate temporal between individual differences in feeding behaviours with personality traits, highlighting two distinct groups: calves that visited the machine more often had a superior drinking speed and grew faster, and calves that visited the machine fewer times had an inferior drinking speed and grew slower (sick calves were excluded from the analysis) [ 42 ]. Nevertheless, it should be noted that calves can present a distinct individual behavioural rhythmicity throughout the day [ 43 ].…”

“…A partial-weight scale attached to an AMFS was used to successfully monitor daily calves’ weight (r = 0.99) [ 161 ], informing the farmer about calves’ growth and loss of weight due to health or managing problems. This system was also used to control the weight gain of calves with different personality traits [ 42 ]. This system has the advantage of providing measures every day; however, it can only work until weaning.…”