Handling, reactivity and price of beef cattle

• Autor(a) principal: Carvalho, Cinara da Cunha Siqueira
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: de Oliveira, Evileide Marques, da Costa, Maria Dulcinéia, Maranhão, Camila Maida de Albuquerque, dos Santos, Tatiany Carvalho, Monção, Flávio Pinto, Rocha Júnior, Vicente Ribeiro, Ruas, José Reinaldo Mendes, Soares, Thaís Emanuele
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology
• Texto Completo: https://malque.pub/ojs/index.php/jabb/article/view/872
• topic: agricultural show; animal temperament; human-animal relation

Given the importance of cattle breeding for the Brazilian economy, as well as the growing concern with animal welfare, studies that clearly and objectively approach the way cattle are handled during auctions become necessary. This study aims, hence, at assessing the influence of cattle handling on the reactivity of animals at the time of arrival at the exhibition park. We also aimed to evaluate the impact of reactivity and visual aspects on the price for animals at auctions in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais. We observed 241 lots of commercial and 43 lots of pedigree cattle in loco, assessing the type of handling and the cattle's behavior when arriving at the exhibition park, accommodation in the corral and loading to the destination. Upon arrival, commercial animals were more reactive than pedigree cattle due to the change of environment – exhibition park as opposed to their original habitat, and also to the number of visitors who induce stress and cause the animals to retreat. Commercial and pedigree females were more reactive than males upon arrival and loading, particularly when close to their offspring. Commercial animals that scored high in aggressiveness had smaller flight zones, for they run toward fences when threatened. Young commercial animals entered the auction ring with no external help due to anxiety and restlessness. The visual aspect influences the price in virtual markets.