Genetics and Behavior During Handling, Restraint, and Herding - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 128

or truck-loading ramps. When Brahman cattle become extremely agitated
they are more likely to lie down and become immobile. People in Brazil
report similar tonic immobility behavior in Bos indicus Nelore cattle. Certain
genetic lines of European Continental cattle are more excitable than British
breeds ( Grandin, 1994; Stricklin et al., 1980 ).
Sire Effect on Behavior
Studies of sire effect on behavior clearly show in differences in behavior of
the offspring of different sires which cannot be attributed to learning the
behavior from the mother. Dickson et al. (1970) found that sire had a signifi-
cant effect on milking parlor behavior and temperament of cows. Arave
et al. (1974) showed that Holstein heifers from certain sires had higher activ-
ity levels and greater learning ability. Both ranchers and dairymen learn
from practical experience that calves from certain sires are more nervous and
excitable. Torres-Hernandez and Hohenboken (1979) found a similar rela-
tionship in sheep. Ewes by Romney sires are more agitated when placed in a
stressful test situation compared to ewes sired by Suffolk or Columbia ewes.
Beef cows sired by cattle developed for use in the mountains graze more fre-
quently on hilly, rugged terrain compared to cows sired by breeds such as
Angus not selected to live in rugged terrain ( Van Wagoner et al., 2006 ).
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES WITHIN A BREED
In “Behavior and Evolution” Mayr (1958) wrote,
The time has come to stress the existence of genetic differences in behavior, in view
of the enormous amount of material the students of various forms of learning have
accumulated on genetic variation in behavior. Striking individual differences have
been described for predator prey relationships, for the reactions of birds, or
mimicking, or to warning colorations for child care among primates, and for
maternal behavior in rats. It is generally agreed by observers that much of the
individual difference is not affected by experience but remains essentially constant
throughout the entire lifetime of the individual.
Individual differences in animal behavior have been widely discussed by
Hirsh (1963) , Scott and Fuller (1965) , Fuller and Thompson (1978) , and
Plomin (1990) . Livestock animals show individual differences in behaviors
similar to those found in laboratory animals and dogs. Kerr and Wood-Gush
(1985) investigated a relationship between individual behavioral differences
and production measures in dairy cows. They propose that behavior of dairy
heifers in one context can be used to predict behavior in other situations.
Furthermore, Kerr and Wood-Gush (1987) found that an individual dairy hei-
fer's reaction to being touched by a human observer showed a consistent
individual pattern that remained consistent for a two-year period. In young