title: A note on hair whorl position and cattle temperament in the auction ring.
abstract: The objective of this study was to further describe the relationships between facial hair whorls and temperament in cattle. Cattle (n=1636) from six commercial cattle auctions in Colorado and Texas were observed. Whorl location was classified according to lateral position (left, right, or middle) and height (high: above the top of the eye, middle: at eye level, low: below the bottom of the eye). A 4-point temperament score was used to rate each animal while it was in the auction ring. Cattle with a score of 1 remained calm and stood still or walked around, and those with a score of 4 were highly agitated and hit the ring fence, walls, partitions, or people with its head. The cattle observed were 75% Bos taurus beef breeds, 21% Holstein dairy cattle, 3% Bos indicus beef breeds, and 1% non-Holstein dairy breeds. Ten percent of cattle surveyed had no facial hair whorl, while 86% had a single spiral hair whorl, of which 47% had middle-middle whorl placement. Animals with a high whorl position or no hair whorl had higher temperament scores (P=0.01). Cattle with low whorls were more likely to have greater lateral displacement of whorls off of the centerline than cattle with high or middle whorls (P<0.01). Abnormally shaped whorls were more common on cattle with low whorls (P<0.01) and on cattle with lateral whorls located off of the centerline (P<0.01). Cattle with hair whorls on the centerline had more variable temperament scores (P=0.04). Beef cattle had more abnormal whorls than Holsteins (P<0.01). Temperament scores showed that Holsteins were calmer than beef cattle (P<0.01). Facial hair whorls in cattle may be a useful management tool in assessing which animals may become disturbed in novel environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523-1171, Colorado, CO, USA
authors.forename: J L.
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lanier
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grandin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McGee