Individuals within a population often show consistent between individual differences in their average behavioral expression (personality), and consistent differences in their within-individual variability of behavior around the mean (predictability). Where correlations between different personality traits and/or the predictability of traits exist, these represent behavioral or predictability syndromes.  In wild populations, behavioral syndromes have consequences for individual’s survival and reproduction and affect the structure and functioning of groups and populations. The consequences of behavioral syndromes for farm animals is less well explored, partly due to the challenges in quantifying behavior of many individuals across time and context in a farm setting. Here, we use Ultra-Wideband location sensors to provide precise measures of movement and space use for 60 calves over 40-48 days. We find that individuals show consistent within and between individual variation in movement and space use and show correlations in personality and predictability, indicating the existence of “exploratory” and “active” personality types in farmed calves. We consider the consequences of such individual variability for cattle behavior and welfare and how such data may be used to inform management decision in farm animals.

Title: Personality and predictability of movement and space use in farmed calves quantified by Ultra-wideband sensors

Authors: Francesca Occhiuto1*, Jorge. A. Vázquez-Diosdado1, Charles Carslake1, and Jasmeet Kaler1*
     1School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, United Kingdom.
     * Correspondence: Francesca.Occhiuto@nottingham.ac.uk, Jasmeet.Kaler@nottingham.ac.uk

Dates: October 2020 - April 2021

Location: Centre for Dairy Science Innovation at the University of Nottingham, UK

Funding: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, United Kingdom, project references: BB/M008770/1 and BB/S506758/1

File: Calves_movement_space_use.csv

This file contains the movement and space use data for 60 farmed calves generated for the associated manuscript
685 observation of  16 variables

Contains the following variables:Column A: Calf_ID represents the individual calf identification number
Column B: Observation represents the 4-day observational time unit
Column C: Cohort represents the cohort that the calf was part of
Column D: AllDayArea_50 represents the value of the "Total area used" in m^2, defined as the cumulative 50% of the observed density on the utility distribution during the observational time unit
Column E: AllDayArea_95 represents the value of the "Core area used" in m^2, defined as the cumulative 95% of the observed density on the utility distribution during the observational time unit
Column F: SiteFidelity_AllCombinations represents the "Site Fidelity" (index) defined as the level of overlap or similarity of utility distributions of the days within the observational time unit
Column G: Walked_Distance represents the total distance travelled in m, defined as the sum of the total distance travelled over the observational time unit
Column H: Sum_AllDay_Feeder_Time represents the total time spent in the feeder area in minutes, defined as the overall time within the feeder for the observational time unit
Column I: AverageTemp represents the average of the daily temperature during the observational time unit measured in °C
Column J: Health_status    represents whether the calves had received treatment from the farm staff:
    “Sick” means that the day and/or the previous two days of the treatment administration fall within the observational time unit
    "Convalescent” means that the three days following the treatment fall within the observational time unit
    "Healthy" if none of the above apply
Column K: Weaning represents the weaning status of the calves
    "No" means that the calf was receiving the full milk entitlement
    "Step-down" means that the calf was entitled to a reduced amount of milk
    "Weaned" means that the calf was not entitled to any milk
Column L: Sex represents the sex of the calf (F=female, M=male)
Column M: Breed    represents the breed of the calf (HO=Holstein-Fresian, AA=Aberdeen Angus, BB=Belgian Blue)
Column N: Age represents the age of the calf in days at the end of the observational time unit

File created: ‎16 ‎December ‎2021

Methods for data collection and processing available in the associated manuscript