LAUSR

The study objective was to assess the effect of maternal behavior at calving, parity and season on dam behavior during the first 24 h of fence-line weaning. Crossbred cattle (n = 58) were fitted with global positioning system collars on the day of weaning their calves and placed in a 10.1-ha pasture adjacent to their calves and separated by a common fence. Dam position was recorded at 5-minute intervals. Dam distance from the fence was analyzed using SAS PROC MIXED. Both maternal aggression score during calf handling within 24 h of calving (MA: 1 = flight response to 5 = fight response) and mothering aptitude score immediately following calf processing at calving (MOM: 1 = calf abandonment, 2 = cow retreats quickly with calf, 3 = cow flees chasing calf, 4 = cow walks away with calf, 5 = cow stays in immediate area with calf) affected mean daily distance to the fence (P < 0.01). Dams assigned a MA of 5 maintained the greatest (P < 0.01) mean daily distance from the fence (274.8 ± 1.0 m), whereas dams assigned a MA of 2 or 1 maintained the least (209.5 ± 0.8 m) (P < 0.01) and second least (220.5 ± 0.8 m) (P < 0.01) mean daily distance from the fence. Daily distance from the fence was in sequential order from greatest to least for dams with MOM scores of 3, 1, 5, 2, and 4 (P < 0.01). Distance from the fence was greater (P < 0.01) during fall than spring and greater (P < 0.01) for multiparous than primiparous dams. This suggests that maternal behavior at calving is related to maternal behavior at weaning and that parity and season also influence weaning behavior of dams.