Genetics and Behavior During Handling, Restraint, and Herding - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 140

When later tested in an open-field pen, the stall-raised calves were more
energetic, had a greater level of activity, and ran around excessively com-
pared to calves reared in group pens. Fordyce (1987) showed that adult cattle
handled quietly as calves are quieter during handling compared to non-
handled controls. Calves reared in an intensive system can also be sorted
quickly compared to calves reared in a more extensive system ( Boivin et al.,
1992 ). Near weaning time, Boissy and Bouissou (1988) found that handling
and contact with people improves the ease of handling in cattle. Early
experiences will affect how animals react in the future to handling, restraint,
or novel situations ( Gonyou, 1993; Hemsworth et al., 1986 ).
The effects of early experience on handling are complex. Lensink et al.
(2001) found that reactions of calves to handling depend on housing condi-
tion and previous experience with humans. Calves were housed individually
or in pairs. Half of the individually housed calves were stroked on the neck
for 90 seconds each day, and half of the calves housed in pairs received
stroking. Paired calves took more time to interact and interacted less with a
person compared to calves housed individually. Calves that received addi-
tional contact with people interacted longer with a person than calves with
minimal contact. It took more time and effort to load calves housed in pairs
compared to individually housed calves, and less time to load calves that had
additional contact with people. During loading additional-contact calves had
lower heart rates than minimal contact calves, while during transport pair-
housed calves had lower heart rates than calves housed individually.
Lyons (1987) found that goats hand-reared by people, react less strongly
to changes in the environment compared to goats raised on their dams.
Differences in early rearing methods resulted in long-term, stable differences
in temperament. Several studies show previous experience has a significant
effect on an animal's flight zone size the physiological responses to handling
and restraint ( Boissy and Bouissou, 1988; Ewbank, 1993; Gonyou, 1993;
Hastings et al., 1992; Ried and Mills, 1962 ). For example, both hand-reared
cattle and hand-reared deer show lower cortisol levels during restraint com-
pared to animals with less early contact with people ( Boandle et al., 1989;
Hastings et al., 1992 ). Hastings et al. (1992) also found “tame” hand-reared
deer had lower cortisol stress hormone levels when restrained compared to
deer raised by their mothers. Interestingly, both groups actively resisted
restraint and vocalized. Compared to cattle with rough handling, Grandin
(1984, 1987) concludes that cattle with gentle previous experience during
handling will be calmer and easier to handle in the future. This principle
applies to all domestic livestock, wildlife, even dogs.
Effects of Environment and Experience on Pigs
Early environment effects on behavior of pigs reared indoors has been stud-
ied by Grandin et al. (1987) , Grandin (1989) , and Beattie et al. (1995). Pigs