Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4733-6947

Advisor

Parish, Jane A.

Committee Member

Harvey, Kelsey S.

Committee Member

Smith, Trent

Committee Member

Strickland, Bronson K.

Committee Member

Vann, Rhonda C.

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Agricultural Science (Animal & Dairy Science)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to create a scoring system to assess maternal behavior within 24-h of calving in crossbred beef cows; determine the impact of maternal scores on cow productive responses and evaluate how maternal score varies over animal lifetime; and assess the effect of maternal aggression and perceived mothering ability on calf survivability and growth performance. Calving observations (n = 1,832) were conducted across 12 calf crops from 2017 to 2022 from 680 unique crossbred cows at the Prairie Research Unit, Prairie, MS. Along with routine data collection, dams were subjectively scored for the traits maternal aggression (MA) and mothering ability (MOM). During calf processing MA score was recorded as: 1 = dam not attentive to calf, flees; 2 = dam unsure, may retreat but returns to check on calf; 3 = dam stays, non-aggressive; 4 = dam very attentive, may snort, paw, and/or vocalizes to calf; or 5 = dam very aggressive, vocalizes to humans, displays fight response. Immediately following calf processing, MOM score was collected and defined as: 1 = dam flees without calf; 2 = dam retreats quickly with calf, may vocalize for calf, stops short distance away and nurtures calf; 3 = dam and calf flee quickly, calf led; 4 = dam checks on and then walks away with calf; or 5 = dam and calf stay in immediate area, dam licks or otherwise nurtures calf. Variation existed for both MA and MOM within this sample, with distribution of both affected (P < 0.01) by calf crop and parity. Dams with MA score 1 and 2 had longer (P < 0.01) calving intervals compared to dams with MA scores of 3, 4, or 5. A MOM effect was detected (P < 0.01) for calf weaning age, which was greater (P ≤ 0.05) for dams with MOM score 1, 2, and 3 vs. dams with MOM scores 4, and 5No MOM differences (P ≥ 0.31) were detected for calf 205-d adjusted weaning BW, ADG from birth to weaning, or weaning rate.

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