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Ali, Iftikhar, 2005. Behaviour of young dairy bulls under group housing conditions and mature dairy bulls during semen collection. Second cycle, A1N, A1F or AXX ( AXX). Uppsala: SLU, Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231)

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Abstract

The first aim was to observe the behaviour of young dairy bulls under group housing conditions and difference in the aggressive and other social interactions between the bulls.

Behaviour of 163 bulls of Swedish Holstein (SH) and Swedish Red and White Breed (SRB), from 1.5 to 4 years, was observed. The bulls were housed in groups of 7-12/pen in 16 different pens in two half open buildings. The bulls were divided into three age groups (2, 3 and 4 year).

Statistical analysis was done to test the difference of age, breed and observer on the general behaviours, and the effect of age, breed and breed*age on the social interactions. A significantly higher percentage of lying in the 2 year age groups, ruminating standing in the 3 year age groups and rubbing walls in the 4 year age groups was found. Aggressive behaviour was the major social interaction among the bulls of all age groups. Mounting was significantly higher for the 2 year age groups and lower in 4 year age groups. It was concluded that the bulls living under group housing conditions spent most of their time standing, eating and lying ruminating (during our observation period). The bulls showed a quite high level of aggressive behaviours, but that did not seem to cause harm to their health. There were no differences in the aggressive behaviours between breeds and age groups.
The second purpose was to observe the behaviour and the reaction time (RT) of mature dairy bulls during semen collection and the effect of handling staff (3 persons at a time) and other factors during semen collection. Effect of delayed RT on semen quantity, semen quality and total sperm collected (TSC) per ejaculate was also investigated.

Behaviour of 18 bulls (13 SRB and 5 SH) was recoded. The bulls were divided into four age groups (5, 6, 7 and 8 year). Statistical analysis was done to investigate the effect of day (once or twice a week), order (of the bulls 1-9, during semen collection), age group, handler A, B and collector (seven people handling bulls on different days) on RT, behaviours, semen quantity, semen quality and TSC. The RT to first mount, first semen collection and second semen collection was 253.84 s, 91.08 s and 110.02 s respectively. A significant effect of handler B and day on RT to first ejaculation was found. Walking, sniff teaser and vocalize tended to be affected by handler A. A significant negative correlation between RT and semen quality, RT and TSC in the first semen ejaculates was found. A higher number of sperms per ejaculate were collected from the bulls being collected once a week. It was concluded that RT and some behaviours of the bulls was affected by the presence of different handling persons in the semen collection hall. Moreover long RT caused a decreased TSC with low quality.

Main title:Behaviour of young dairy bulls under group housing conditions and mature dairy bulls during semen collection
Authors:Ali, Iftikhar
Supervisor:UNSPECIFIED
Examiner:UNSPECIFIED
Series:Report / International Master of Science Programme, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Volume/Sequential designation:52
Year of Publication:2005
Level and depth descriptor:Second cycle, A1N, A1F or AXX
Student's programme affiliation:MSCVE Master of Science Programme in Veterinary Medicine 90 HEC
Supervising department:(VH) > Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231)
Keywords:dairy bulls, group housing, behaviour, aggression, social interactions, reaction time, semen quantity, semen quality, total sperm collected
URN:NBN:urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-s-763
Permanent URL:
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-s-763
Subject. Use of subject categories until 2023-04-30.:Animal ecology
Animal physiology - Growth and development
Language:English
Additional Information:Överförd från avhandlingsarkivet/Transferred from the Dissertations and Graduate Thesis Archive
Deposited On:21 Nov 2011 10:48
Metadata Last Modified:20 Apr 2012 14:23

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