A new study in JDS Communications® explores the personality associations between dams and their heifer offspring and what they mean for the underlying genetics of dairy animal behavior
Philadelphia, December 13, 2023 – There is evidence that the behaviors that make up each animal’s personality—such as willingness to explore, activity level, aggressiveness, sociability, and boldness—can be defined, measured, and selected for during breeding. Yet in dairy cows, research has so far mostly focused on understanding and selecting for docility and milking temperament to help ensure higher milk yields, a faster milking speed, and greater herd longevity. In a novel study in JDS Communications, a research team from the University of Guelph are expanding our understanding of the heritability of a wider range of dairy cow personalities, demonstrating that these traits are potentially passed down from mother to calf, and opening the possibility of predicting personality through breeding selection.
The lead investigator of the study—Trevor DeVries, PhD, of the Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada—explained, “We know from the last decade of research that we can measure and potentially select for temperament and personality traits in animal breeding, which is significant because an animal’s personality ultimately influences their behavior and impacts their overall welfare and production performance.” Given the lack of this kind of research in dairy cows—and the importance of personality overall—DeVries and his team set out to start to expand our understanding of personality trait heritability and their potential use in genetic selection.
“We wanted to consider what level of traits are passed from a mother cow—or dam—to her calf,” explained DeVries. To do so, the team selected 23 pregnant dairy cows, who received two separate personality tests—once prior to calving and once after calving—using an observational arena. The test involved three stages of exposure: one to a novel environment, a novel object, and a novel human. The researchers then analyzed the behavior expressed in each test to determine personality traits. “Our precalving test revealed 3 personality traits, interpreted as exploratory, active, and bold, while the postcalving test revealed 2 traits, interpreted as active and exploratory,” said DeVries.
Caption: Personality testing of dairy cows reveals that cows with an active personality are associated with daughters having an exploratory-active or bold personality (Credit: iStock.com/ Wirestock).
From these cows, 23 female Holstein heifers were produced and enrolled in the study once they had reached 7 months old. Just like their dams, the heifers were personality tested through a combined arena test. Their first test revealed 3 personality traits, interpreted as bold, exploratory-active, and social, while the second test resulted in 2 traits, interpreted as exploratory-active and social.
All factor scores from each cow and heifer pair were tested for association, revealing that some personality traits were indeed shared between the cows and their calves, despite being raised separately. “As we hypothesized, some heifer personality traits were positively correlated with those of their dams,” said DeVries, “showing that active cow mothers had heifer calves with similar exploratory-active heifers or bold personalities. And interestingly, there was a negative association between exploratory cows and bold daughters.”
Although DeVries was careful to say that this study alone has potential limitations and more research is needed—for example, to understand whether shared personality traits continue as the calves and their dams age—the results demonstrate that cow personality could potentially be used as a tool to predict the personality of their heifer calves, opening possibilities for genetic selection decisions.
Notes for editors
The article is “Association between personality traits of dairy cows and their peripubertal heifer offspring,” by Sabina C. Czachor, Anna J. Schwanke, Jessica E. Brasier, Brandon J. Van Soest, and Trevor J. DeVries (https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2022-0365). It appears in JDS Communications, volume 4, issue 5 (September/October 2023), published by FASS Inc. and Elsevier.
The article is openly available at https://www.jdscommun.org/article/S2666-9102(23)00056-X/fulltext, and the PDF version is available at https://www.jdscommun.org/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-9102%2823%2900056-X.
Journalists wishing to interview the authors should contact the corresponding author, Trevor J. DeVries, PhD, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, at tdevries@uoguelph.ca.
About JDS Communications
JDS Communications®, an official journal of the American Dairy Science Association®, is co-published by Elsevier and FASS Inc. for the American Dairy Science Association. The journal publishes narrowly focused, hypothesis-driven original research studies designed to answer a specific question on the production or processing of milk or milk products intended for human consumption. In addition to short research articles, JDS Communications publishes mini reviews—unsolicited, concise review papers. Research published in this journal is broadly divided into the production of milk from food animals (nutrition, physiology, health, genetics, and management) and processing of milk for human consumption (dairy foods). JDS Communications aims for rapid turnaround and a short time to publication. www.jdscommun.org
About the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA®)
The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) is an international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry and keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive, and health requirements of the world's population. It provides leadership in scientific and technical support to sustain and grow the global dairy industry through generation, dissemination, and exchange of information and services. Together, ADSA members have discovered new methods and technologies that have revolutionized the dairy industry.www.adsa.org
About FASS Inc.
Since 1998, FASS has provided shared management services to not-for-profit scientific organizations. With combined membership rosters of more than 10,000 professionals in animal agriculture and other sciences, FASS offers clients services in accounting, membership management, convention and meeting planning, information technology, and scientific publication support. The FASS publications department provides journal management, peer-review support, copyediting, and composition for this journal; the staff includes several BELS-certified (www.bels.org) technical editors and experienced composition staff. www.fass.org
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