Indication of a personality trait in dairy calves and its link to weight gain through automatically collected feeding behaviours.

ABSTRACT: Farm animal personality traits are of interest since they can help predict individual variation in behaviour and productivity. However, personality traits are currently inferred using behavioural tests which are impractical outside of research settings. To meet the definition of a personality trait, between-individual differences in related behaviours must be temporally as well as contextually stable. In this study, we used data collected by computerised milk feeders from 76 calves over two contexts, pair housing and group housing, to test if between-individual differences in feeding rate and meal frequency meet the definition for a personality trait. Results show that between-individual differences in feeding rate and meal frequency were related, and, for each behaviour, between-individua

SUBMITTER: Carslake C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9653382 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature