D2-Unc>ster Fanning, Saturday, November 13, 1990 Study Cattle Behavior, Social Structure To Improve Management, Researcher Says INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, - Studying cattle behavior and using a knowledge of cattle behavior patterns and social structure in managing beef could make managing cattle eas ier and lead to improved ways of limiting the environmental impact of grazing, a Montana State University researcher said “Cattle develop a social struc ture and there are varying degrees of dominance among cattle. In those regards, they are very similar to human society,” said Bok Sowell, an associate professor of range science. “People who spend a lot of time around livestock and work with them recognize those character istics and use them to their advantage. Science hasn’t been able to quantify those character istics yet,” Sowell urged researchers at the national meeting of the American Society of Animal Science to conduct more research on cattle social behav ior. He says the research could pay vast dividends for produc ers, particularly large-scale pro ducers in the western United States and Canada. About 1,800 researchers from around the world attended the meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., July 20-23. In areas of the West where large areas of public land are grazed, livestock producers are coming under increasing pres sure to limit the amount of dam age that cattle do to the vegeta tive areas around streams, lakes, and other bodies of water. A number of species of wildlife and fish depend on those areas as habitat. “We’ve seen some grazing permits denied because of the potential for damage to those riparian damages,” Sowell said. “For some producers, denial Morton Buildings Includes An Unequaled Warranty Package With Every Building Purchase • 50-year protection against snow load damage to structures with no weight limit • 50-year protection against decay or insect attack on preservative-treated columns and lumber • 20-year protection against red rust, fading, chalking, cracking and peeling on roof and sidewall panels, including damage from atmospheric pollutants 800-447-7436 # MORTON Gettysburg, PA 717-624-3331 BUILDINGS Pleasant Unity, PA 412-423-7477 PO Box 399, Morton, IL 61550 www mortonbuildings com ©1999 Morton Buildings, Inc WV Contractor's License #WVOO7B4B of a grazing permit can cost them their livelihood ” Producers have few options for protecting such areas, he noted. Fencing is effective, but prohibitively expensive. Herding cattle is only slightly more prac tical on the West’s wide-open range. “What if we could use our knowledge of social structure to manage cattle to protect those areas,” he said. “Perhaps we could cull the cows that con stantly lead the herd to those areas Another option might be to find improved ways to herd cattle so that only limited human attention and interven tion is required. “Some research has already shown that if someone herds a group of cattle away from an area, they’re more likely to stay away if the herder spends some time at the new location as little as a half an hour or an hour may be all that’s needed to get them established in a new location.” One of Sowell’s colleagues at Montana State, Jeff Mosely, is launching some early studies into cattle social behavior. Other Montana research focuses on delivering mineral supplements to cattle more equitably using a working knowledge of boss-cow behavior. The key is to keep dominant cows from overeating while making sure more meek cattle receive their fair share. Only a few other limited studies on herd behavior and social structure exist. “Much of the information we have on this topic is from producers people that live and work with live stock,” Sowell said. It’s very good information, but we need to quantify it before we can look for ways to improve management through its use.” v - Sowell noted that the research will not be easy nor the results clear-cut. “We know that the social structure of the cattle is pretty stable until there’s a change. Any change in environment or make-up of the herd can result in a change in the social struc ture. Some changes, like a drought and the resulting lack of food, can alter the structure.” Likewise, how cattle exhibit dominance is complex. Some cat tle dominate at the feed bunk while others dominate at the water trough or in the pasture. “It depends on the situation. There are certain times that the rules apply and sometimes that they don't.” But the potential benefits will make the research worth while, he insists. There are already examples where beef producers are using cattle social structure and behavior to their advantage. Savvy producers know that some cows lead the herd from one location to another. When a herd needs to be moved, they focus their efforts on those lead cows and the others follow. Producers who graze cattle in very extreme conditions in the west often keep older cows past Lancaster Farming Classified Ads Now searchable on the Internet ✓ Check Out Our Web Site www.lancasterfarming.co • 10-year protection against windload damage to Morton Buildings' AlumaSteel sliding doors with no velocity limit. • 5-year protection against windload damage on the entire structure with no wind velocity limit. • 5-year protection against roof-leaks on Morton Buildings' hi-nb steel panels. Phillipsburg, NJ 908-454-7900 Centre Hall, PA 814-364-9500 Meadville, PA 814-336-5083 their reproductive prime. Why? Because old cows teach calves and new animals how to make the best use of scarce food, water and shelter on the range. Some Australian producers keep track of how far cows trav el from water sources on the range. They know that cattle don’t move far from the water source aren’t making use of all Glickman Names Members To National WASHINGTON, D.C, Sco re taiy of Agriculture Dan Glick man has announced the appoint ment of five incumbents and seven new members to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. All will serve three-year terms through Oct. 31, 2002. Re-appointed to serve second terms were Paul E. Rovey, Glen dale, Ariz. (region 3); Glen E. Schroeder, Caledonia, Minn, (reg ion 5); William B. Siebenbom, Trenton, Mo. (region 7); James S. Cook, Evergreen, Ala. (region 8); and Ruth I. Latibcc, Lowville, N.Y. (region 12). 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