Abstract:
Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. (1978) 12: 245 THE BEHAVIOUR OF CATTLE AT ELECTRIC FENCES C.L. MCDONALD*, R.G. BEILHARZ* and J. McCUTCHAN** This work is part of a longer term study at Melbourne University of the engineering aspects of electric fences, Cattle behaviour is recorded by elaborate equipment which automatically photographs animal approaches to the electric fence. The aim is to develop cheap, effective methods of confinement and to examine the commonly held notions that: cattle can be trained to respect electric fences, learning as a group is important and social behaviour is relevant at electric fences. The authors are unaware of any controlled experiments on these issues. Two groups of 19 crossbred, adult cattle of mixed sex were assessed for dominance hierarchies by the method described by Beilharz and Mylrea (1963). For at least four months prior to the experiment, these animals had no contact with electric fences. One group was confined for one day in a training yard fenced by a substantial conventional fence with an out-rigger electric wire attached. This small yard confined the animals so as to maximise group learning and to increase the frequency of contact with the electric wire. The second group received no such training. . Each group was photographed for one week in separate, 1 ha paddocks, with strong eight-wire conventional fences on three. sides and a single wire pulsed from a high power energizer on the fourth, No breakthroughs occurred in either group, despite the high stocking rate. Training appeared to heighten the animals' respect for the electric fence. Two out of the 154 daylight approaches made by the trained group resulted in electric shocks, compared with 17 out of the 108 daylight approaches made by the untrained group. Thus, the untrained group were more likely to be shocked (x = 14-51, df = 1, P~O.001). Twenty-six . percent of the trained group initially made investigative approaches compared with 56% for the untrained group. Group learning was studied in the untrained group. In the first three days, 47% of the herd had received shocks but thereafter no new animals received shocks, possibly learning from experience of their herdmates, There was a trend (rs = -0.66 PxO.01 in the untrained group and rs = -0.42 0.05<.P<O.l in the trained group) for the measured dominance rank to be negatively correlated with frequency of approaches to the electric fence, However, two notable exceptions were the most dominant animal in the trained group and the second most dominant animal in the untrained group. These were by far the most frequent visitors to the electric fence. In this experiment it a much cheaper fence than unnecessary but effective, are important and deserve is concluded that beef cattle were confined by used by many farmers, that training was and that group learning and social behaviour more study. Anim-Behav. BEILHARZ, R.G. and MYLREA, P-J. (1963). * School of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, . Victoria, 3052. ** School of Electrical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052. 245.