Abstract We investigated whether a panel of molecular markers previously associated with temperament has an effect on live growth traits. Phenotypic data from 412 Charolais cows categorized according to their age in adult and young cows were used to determine Pearson’s correlations between birth (BW), weaning (WW), and yearling live (YW) weight and temperament traits (measured as exit velocity [EV] and temperament score [TS]). For association analysis, selective genotyping of a group of 80 cows identified as the most docile […]

The relation between temperament with performance and meat quality was determined in 79 Charolais × Nellore steers kept in feedlot. Temperament was evaluated according to exit velocity, scale composite score and flight distance four times in the finishing phase, along with body weight, intake and feed conversion measures. Cattle were classified as calm, intermediate and excited according to exit velocity measures at the beginning of the trial. Excited cattle presented larger values for composite score and flight distance. Irrespective of […]

The objective of this study to assess the relationship between ewe maternal behavior score and physiological parameters related to their temperament. During lambing, 258 Corriedale and 50 Polwarth ewes were evaluated. They were raised on native pasture in the southwest region of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The effects of farm, age, type of lambing, maternal behavior scores and body condition score before lambing and during the weaning were evaluated in relation to heart rate, respiratory rate and body […]

The objective of this study was to study the animal reactivity and correlate it with performance and meat quality of cattle finished in feedlots. A total of 20 animals of the Tabapuã breed and 20 animals of the Nellore breed were confined for 112 days: 28 days of adaptation and 84 days of data collection. Performance was determined by the average daily weight gain (ADG) and average dry matter intake (DMI) estimated through the use of indicators. On the 1st, […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate behavior of sheep and to relate behavioral aspects with breed and age of animals. It was observed 5,971 animals distributed in 181 plots regarded to: breed – Corriedale (n=2,731), Ideal (n=1,574), Merino (n=168), Texel (n=717), Suffolk (n=247) and six crossbreds (n=534); age – yearlings (1.5 year, n=3,021), ewes (above 1.5 year, n =2,457) and lambs (average 6 months of age, n=493). Average behavior of plots was evaluated by attributing scores of movement […]

Reproductive capacity is controlled by a large number of factors such as season, social interactions and metabolic status. However, the influence of emotional reactivity on reproductive success has not been intensively investigated in farm animals. In this review, we define emotion reactivity and the expression of its inter individual variability named temperament. We briefly describe our protocol to measure temperament in sheep and discuss the heritability of temperament traits. Using the results obtained from our flock of sheep selected for […]

The confinement reactivity (CR) has been used as a measure of temperament in Brazil and it is defined as the animal reaction when contained in the scale. It is quantified through the animal reactivity test – REATEST®. This test consists of an electronic device coupled to the scale and of specific software. The device captures the movement that the animal provokes in the scale, during 20 seconds and sends it for the software that processes this movement and determines the […]