Authors: L. G. Levina, K. E. Tikhonov, O. A. Artemieva, M. V. Zelepukina
All-Russian Livestock Research Institute named after academician L. K. Ernst, Dubrovitsy, Russia E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Abstract. The new genotypes of animals have been created with the use of the Simmental-seedstock herd improver bulls. Selective breeding to be effective for these animals requires understanding the genetic basis of the main types of behavior. For this purpose, an experiment with the Simmetal herd was performed. The average herd-milk production comprised 7.0 thousand kg milk per cow per year (Kursk Region). The bull calves were kept loose. They were divided into two groups of 6 animals each, representing the breeds formed of 1/4 Simmental × 3/4 Holstein in group 1 and 1/8 Simmental × 3/8 Holstein × 1/2 Montbeliarde in group 2. Age-related differences between the bull calves within the groups were no more than two weeks. It was ascertained that the progeny of the Montbeliarde bull fathers (group 2) tended to be calm, spending more time on social behavior. Thus, frequencies of allogrooming in these bull calves at 10–12 months old and 14–15 months old were 50 % and 33 % more, respectively, than that in their peers of a genotype formed of 1/4 Simmental × 3/4 Holstein. Feeding behavior activity and feed intake in the bull calves aged 10–12 months and 14–15 months from group 2 were 18.4 % and 10.8 % higher, respectively, than that in their peers from group 1. The bull calves from group 1 were more nervous, since head butting, which occurred with a physical contact, among the bull calves at 14–15 months old was observed in 50 % of them. In addition, frequencies of agitated behavior (which can be indicated by scratching) exhibited by the bull calves aged 10–11 months and 14–15 months were higher by 16 % and 34 %, respectively, than that in their peers produced from the Montbeliarde bulls. Intense fear associated with a change in the habitual place of keeping was exhibited by 33 % of bull calves from group 1. The innate resistance parameter values for the bull calves of both genotypes were corresponded to the normal variables. The difference between the 14–15-monthold bull calves in the serum bactericidal activity was in favor of the Montbeliarde bulls, comprising 0.1 μ g/mL. Therefore, using the Montbeliarde bulls, overall, has had a positive effect on behavior including feeding behavior activity and feed intake in the produced progeny. It contributed to increasing the liveweights in the bull calves at 10–12 months old and 14–15 months old by 68.5 kg and 97 kg, respectively, when compared to the bull calves with the high rates of consanguinity in Holsteins.
Keywords: Simmental breed, Holstein (Red-and-White) breed, Montbeliarde breed, types of behavior, humoral and cellular immunity, resistance, liveweight.
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For citation: Levina L. G., Tikhonov K. E., Artemieva O. A., Zelepukina M. V. Povedeniye i rezistentnost’ bychkov simmental’skoy porody raznykh genotipov [Behavior and resistance in Simmental bull calves of different genotypes] // Agrarian Bulletin of the Urals. 2020. No. 02 (193). Pp. 54‒61. DOI: 10.32417/1997-4868-2020-193-2-54-61. (In Russian.)
