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Author (up) Broucek, J., Uhrincat, M., KiÅ¡ac, P., Hanus, A..
Title Hair Whorl Position as a Predictor of Learning Ability and Locomotor Behavior in Cattle? Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication ACTA VETERINARIA BRUNENSIS Abbreviated Journal ACTA VET. BRNO
Volume 73 Issue 4 Pages 455-459
Keywords Cattle, hair whorl, reversal learning, open-field
Abstract The aim of our work was to investigate the hypothesis that the speed of solving the maze tests and

locomotor behavior of heifers in open-field tests are affected by the height location of facial whorl.

Fifty-eight Holstein heifers were used. Maze learning was observed at the age of 15 weeks, and an

open-field test was applied at two ages, 16 weeks and 18 months. Whorl placement was recorded by

one person as each heifer entered the scale. The hair whorl position was determined on the basis of

two patterns: A) hair whorl high, middle and low and B) hair whorl high and low. Heifers with a

high hair whorl were the fastest (77.8 ± 84.3 s) and heifers with a middle hair whorl the slowest (87.3

± 100.3 s) in the A pattern during the maze tests. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a high hair whorl

ran across the maze in 84.5 ± 95.2 s and heifers with a low hair whorl in 84.1 ± 97.9 s. The number

of crossed squares in a 5-minute open-field test in the A pattern was the non-significantly highest in

heifers with a high hair whorl (43.4) at the age of 16 weeks. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a

high hair whorl were also more mobile, but neither differences in individual minutes nor in the whole

5 minutes were significant. Heifers with a high hair whorl displayed the strongest locomotory

behavior (37.6 squares) and heifers with a low hair whorl (30.8) were the slowest in the A pattern at

the age of 18 months. The differences were not significant. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a

high hair whorl crossed more squares, but the difference was not significant in comparison with

heifers with a low hair whorl. We found that the time of traversing the maze and the locomotor

activity in open-field test may not be influenced in the dairy cattle by the height facial whorl position
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4321
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Author (up) Broucek, J.; Ksac, P.; Uhrincat, M.
Title The effect of sire line on learning and locomotor behaviour of heifers Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Czech Journal of Animal Science Abbreviated Journal Czech J. Anim. Sci
Volume 48 Issue Pages 387-394
Keywords heifers; sire; maze; open-field test; repeatability; learning; locomotor behaviour relationship
Abstract ABSTRACT: e aim of this study was to test the effect of sire line on maze learning ability and locomotor behaviour

in open-field tests of heifers, consistency over the time of grid crossing and relationship between the time of traversing the maze and grid crossings in open-field tests, respectively. We analysed the results of ethological tests for 54 Holstein heifers that descended from 7 sires. Maze behaviour was observed at the age of 15 weeks, an open-field test was applied at two age periods, 16 weeks and 18 months. We found out highly significant differences in the time of traversing the maze between heifers of different sire origin (P < 0.01). &#57426;e number of grid crossings over the five minutes of the open-field test did not differ between the daughters of the age of 16 weeks and 18 months. Repeatability between the number of grid crossings at the age of 16 weeks and 18 months was proved by significant correlation (r = 0.2713*). On the contrary, significant relationships between the times of traversing the maze and locomotor behaviour in the open-field test (r =-0.3739*) were found only when the sequence of observations followed

after a week pause (age of 15 and 16 weeks).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4322
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