Repeatebility of temperament scores in Bunaji and friesian-Bunaji crosses

Abstract

Repeatabilities of temperament scores were estimated by breed, sex, age, weight and body condition in  an enclosed weighbridge (method 1) and in a cattle crush (method 2). The model used included animal, scorer, animal x scorer and replicate within scorer effects. The within and between animal variation accounted for 44 and 54%, respectively, for method 1 and 67 and 32%, respectively, of total variation for method 2. Animal x scorer interaction was not significant. For both methods, repeatabilities for temperament scores were 0.56 and 0.54, for method 1 and 0.33 and 0.32, for method 2. Scoring animals in seclusion seems to enhance expression of temperament and hence is more repeutahle and reproducible.

Key words: Bunaji; Friesian-Bunaji cattle; Temperament scores; Repeatability.