Genetics and Behavior During Handling, Restraint, and Herding - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 144

jumping out ( Caroprese et al., 2012 ). It is well documented that early han-
dling will make cattle and horses easy to handle ( Boivin et al., 1992;
Fordyce et al., 1985 ).
The managers of a bull test station reported two accounts of bulls that
went berserk when brought to the station. The bulls charged fences and
attacked the handlers, but afterwards, the owner was able to walk them
quietly into a trailer. They calmed down when they heard his familiar voice.
In horses, both authors observed that the true temperament can be masked
by learning. Some horses “blow up” when they are taken to a new place or
exposed to a strange stimulus. For example, owners often teach their young
horses to allow their feet to be handled by a horseshoer. The horse may learn
to stand and accept this handling by the owner but when the farrier arrives
for the first time, the horse may react violently. This may be due to the
novelty of a new person. Some horses become fearful every time they are
handled by a farrier. Owners often comment that this is “out of character”
for the horse. When highly reactive animals are in familiar surroundings,
they may be calm and their true temperament can be masked. They learn
that certain sights and sounds are harmless. Recently, the owner of a high-
strung horse commented, “He's 12 years old. You'd think he'd learn to get
over the little things by now.” Taming and training adult animals may reduce
their reactions to specific handling procedures but it does not change their
level of innate emotional reactivity. The level of emotional reactivity in an
animal is like the level of water in a drinking glass. The level of water in the
glass is influenced by both genetics and the environment during early life.
Environmental factors can either raise or lower the initial level of water
in the glass. Handling and contact with people early in life can reduce emo-
tionality in an adult animal but it is almost impossible to manipulate the
environment to such an extent that a highly reactive animal can become as
calm as an animal which has calm genetics. For example, no amount of early
handling can turn a high-strung Arab stallion into an “old plug” riding
stable horse. You might make him calmer, but he will never be as calm as a
horse that is genetically calm.
Facilitating Animal Movement in Handling Facilities
An experienced dairy cow will walk over a drain grate in the milking parlor
but young heifers often balk ( Grandin, 1980a,b, 1996; Kilgour, 1971; Lynch
and Alexander, 1973 ). Dairy cows can learn that drain grates and other
things are harmless. However, animals being handled in an unfamiliar facil-
ity will balk and refuse to walk over puddles or drain grates. Shining reflec-
tions, shadows, and changes in flooring type will cause livestock to balk and
refuse to move through a handling facility. This is especially problematic in
places such as auction yards or slaughter plants where the animals have
no opportunity for learning. If leader animals are given a few minutes to