Publication Date

1985

Location

Kyoto Japan

Description

Ethogram of transitive probabilities among cattle behaviour, especially among drinking, salt-licking and other behaviour are described. The behaviour of 48 identified cattle on the inclined pasture were investigated for two whole days each in May, July, August and October of 1977 and 1978. The frequency and diurnal pattern of drinking and salt-licking were influenced by solar radiation and the physical condition(scours) of cattle. The mean frequencies of drinking and salt-licking behaviour per head in a day were 1.92 ± 0.99 and 1.50 ± 0. 71, respectively. However many following heads without drinking were observed together with drinking cattle. Although the herd of cattle had a tendency of moving to water and salt sites at the same time, the relationship between drinking and salt-licking behaviour were not found for an individual cattle. The probabilities between drinking or salt-licking behaviour and grazing behaviour were large as compared to other transitive probabilities except between grazing and resting behaviour. Drinking behaviour was believed to be depended on a herd moving in contrast to salt-licking behaviour which was independent on a herd moving. In mountainous pasture, the planning of the location of watering site which have caused the development of the vertical cattle tracks is very important in reducing erosion.

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Ethogram of Transitive Probabilities Among Cattle Behavior such as Drinking, Salt-Licking, Camping, Resting and Grazing

Kyoto Japan

Ethogram of transitive probabilities among cattle behaviour, especially among drinking, salt-licking and other behaviour are described. The behaviour of 48 identified cattle on the inclined pasture were investigated for two whole days each in May, July, August and October of 1977 and 1978. The frequency and diurnal pattern of drinking and salt-licking were influenced by solar radiation and the physical condition(scours) of cattle. The mean frequencies of drinking and salt-licking behaviour per head in a day were 1.92 ± 0.99 and 1.50 ± 0. 71, respectively. However many following heads without drinking were observed together with drinking cattle. Although the herd of cattle had a tendency of moving to water and salt sites at the same time, the relationship between drinking and salt-licking behaviour were not found for an individual cattle. The probabilities between drinking or salt-licking behaviour and grazing behaviour were large as compared to other transitive probabilities except between grazing and resting behaviour. Drinking behaviour was believed to be depended on a herd moving in contrast to salt-licking behaviour which was independent on a herd moving. In mountainous pasture, the planning of the location of watering site which have caused the development of the vertical cattle tracks is very important in reducing erosion.