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Relationships of neonatal plasma oxytocin with the behavioral characteristics of cattle introduced into a novel environment
Author(s) -
Yayou Kenichi,
Ito Shuichi,
Yamamoto Naoyuki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12151
Subject(s) - oxytocin , basal (medicine) , open field , milking , endocrinology , medicine , biology , psychology , zoology , insulin
Abstract To examine the influence of postnatal oxytocin ( OXT ) on behavioral development, we examined individual variations in basal OXT and suckling‐induced changes in OXT , and their relationship with emotional traits during development. Blood OXT were measured in 20 H olstein heifer calves at 1 (wk1), 2 (wk2), and 6 weeks of age (wk6). The relationships of OXT variables with principal component scores in the open‐field tests at wk2 and 2 months and the number of flinch, step and kick responses during first artificial insemination and machine milking were analyzed. The basal OXT showed individual variability and significantly correlated (wk1 vs. wk2: r = 0.753, P < 0.001; wk1 vs. wk6: r = 0.499, P < 0.05; wk2 vs. wk6: r = 0.476, P < 0.05). The personality traits reflecting a response in the form of escape from novel environments in the open‐field test at wk2 were inversely correlated with basal OXT at wk1 ( r s = −0.640, P < 0.01) and wk2 ( r s = −0.447, P < 0.05). However, none of the behavioral variables after 2 months correlated with OXT . These findings suggest that, postnatal OXT might be related to behavioral characteristics in novel environments only during the early stages of life.