Coordination of Behavior and Distance between Each Pair in a Herd Composed of Cattle with Different Histories

Abstract

Experiments to statistically confirm relationships between individuals in a herd which was composed of new individuals with different histories were done from 2 view points: that is, behavior coordination and distance between individuals. The herd used in the experiments consisted of 3 groups that had no previous chance of getting together prior to the experiments. These 3 groups were termed J-A (6 Japanese Blacks), H-B (4 Holsteins) and H-C (2 Holsteins), respectively. Experiments were done on 4 days during an 11-day grazing period in spring, and the location of each individual in a 2-ha paddock and its behavior were recorded every 5 min. from dawn to dusk on each of the 4 days. The behavior coordination and distance between each pair in 12 individuals of cattle were studied by cluster analysis. Individuals within each group tended to have close bonds and similar behavior with the others of their own group, and above all, preferred a specified intimate companion within each group. Group H-C associated with group J-A rather than with group H-B of the same breed. The youngest cow in group J-A associated more closely with group H-C than with group J-A. These relationships between and within groups seemed attributable to differences in history in their growth, breed, age, and group size within the herd, which were complicatedly intertwined with each other.