Behavioural Problems of Cattle

Abstract

We have until now in the majority of this monograph considered the behaviour of beef cattle in as natural a situation as possible: out all year and raising their own calves. In modern farming, however, there is a tendency to intensify animal husbandry which usually entails housing the animals and, in beef production, introducing the intensive feed-lot and barley beef systems. The freedom of the cattle is therefore restricted to a greater or lesser extent by management conditions. In some systems, particularly in Europe, the animals are yoked for the majority of their lives and have almost no freedom to do anything except lie down, eat and drink, but even then they tend to form some relationships with their fellows. In other systems they are loose-housed and are physically able to behave much as normal.