The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of early caressing treatment on later tractability of calves. In 10 crossbred (Japanese Black×Holstein) bull calves, the avoidance response and mock fighting behaviour of 5 calves in the caressed group and 5 calves in the control group were investigated for six months. The caressed group was individually brushed up and called gently for 10 minutes per day for the first 32 days, while the control group was reared in the same manner as the caressed group, except the caressing treatment. The avoidance response to the handler was measured by 2 manners : one was the response score of calves being touched by hand of four parts of their bodies during the weighing; the other was the flight distance of calves to which the handler approached quietly. The caressed group showed weaker avoidance response to the handler than the control calves (P<0.01). Flight distance of the caressed calves was also shorter than the control calves (P<0.05) . It was suggested that the long term caressing treatment in suckling period was effective to weaken the avoidance response to the handler. All calves in the caressed group to the handler performed certain type of mock fighting at the beginning of the treatment period and butting until the end of the treatment. Furthermore, the calves showed weak avoidance response performed more mock fighting. It was concluded that the caressing treatment can facilitate acceptance to human-handling through the weak avoidance response, but will induce mock fighting behaviour to the handler. Jpn. J. Livest. Management, 36(4) : 143-150,2001 Received March 6,2000 Accepted December 6,2000

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