Abstract

Elements of the behaviour of sub-adult grazing bulls can lead to physical damage to animals, pastures and farm structures. We tested whether the presence of steers would modulate bull behaviour. In two experiments, 32 fourteen-month-old Friesian bulls (average live weight 346kg) and 32 Friesian steers (341kg liveweight) in groups of 10 to 32 animals were rotationally grazed on permanent pasture at a stocking rate of 23 cattle/ha for 12 to 16 days. The incidence of agonistic behaviour (mounting, teasing, butting, pushing, displaying) was monitored by continuous recording during two, 3 hour observation periods each day at 2 day intervals

AM, Nicol, and AJ Meikle

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 57, , 96-99, 1997