Variability in vocal and behavioural responses to visual isolation between full-sibling families of beef calves

In order to assess the value of vocal response as an indicator of welfare in cattle, it is necessary to investigate factors which influence vocal behaviour of individuals, that are independent of the specific environmental conditions to which they are exposed. The effect of parental differences, sex, age and weight on vocal responses of calves to visual isolation were examined. The relationship between vocal response and the amount of body movement during isolation were also evaluated.

Seventeen full-sibling families of beef calves (N=130) were created by breeding five sires with 13 superovulated dams. Embryos were transferred into unrelated cows, which reared the calves to weaning age. Vocal response of calves and body movement were measured on four occasions, while they were visually isolated for 1 min on a single animal scale platform. The first two observations were made on the day of weaning (mean age 166 days) and the following day. At the third and fourth observations their average ages were 278 and 350 days, respectively. On the four occasions 33.3, 34.8, 27.8 and 38.6% of calves, respectively, vocalized. Both sire and family had a significant influence on the number of vocalizations and acoustic properties of the sounds. Electronically-measured movement while on the scale was also influenced by sire and family, but there was no relationship between vocal responses and body movement. There was a tendency (P=0.08) for older and therefore heavier calves to produce longer vocalizations. In the final observing session, age and weight were positively correlated with fundamental frequency and the sound pressure level at the frequency of greatest intensity, and negatively correlated with the loudest harmonic. At the last two observations, significantly more heifer calves than bull calves vocalized. There was little difference between the acoustic properties of heifers’ and bulls’ vocalizations.

The considerable individual variability in vocal response within a group of identically-treated calves is partly due to parental genetic influences that are independent of rearing and early experience. Other endogenous characteristics such as sex, age and weight also influence vocal response. But there is no clear relationship between individual temperament (as assessed by the amount of body movement during isolation) and characteristics of vocal response.