I have previously described the… ‘beef production operation’ (I am saying this with a snarl) in my area.
In the former post I proposed that bulls might have a difficulty in establishing herd hierarchies if they have not gained enough experience with their mothers (Do bulls learn dominance behaviour from mothers? Bull herd behaviour on livestock operations).
I found this observation very touching and curious and I thought I might share it despite not having studied cattle social ecology at all (which is why I cannot refer to current findings and I do not know whether my observation was very ordinary or unusual etc. because my own experience with such all-bull herds is limited, as well).
The particular group (the dynamic assembly of the bulls that are about to get slaughtered) was in no manner different than the rest I had briefly observed during my walks.
It consisted of several (perhaps 4 – 5) larger but still youthly-looking bulls who were probably about 1,5 – 2 years old, the majority of intermediate growth bulls (around 1 year old) and a smaller group of calves (born in 2023).
Usually, these bulls perceive me (and my leashed dog) as a curiosity and a potential threat.
They have a hard time making group decisions and they mainly react on impulse (a curious approach led by the larger bulls commonly (or by very young calves less frequently) but without apparent individual leadership exchanged by a quick collective retreat which is not decided by any particular individual, either).
This time, the bulls had been feeding near the fence where they had been given access to a huge pile of half-rotten beets and cabbages.
One of the older bulls showed apparent interest in us (as were were passing by approximately 10 metres from the vegetable pile) and he exhibited a level of curiosity and initiative I had never observed in any of the animals kept on that paddock.
Prior to his interest in us, he did not appear to have been in leadership (dominating anybody or followed by anybody) although it is difficult to assess because the time of observation was very short.
His curiosity, however, put him in immediate position of dominance among the rest of the bulls (it is probably not correct to call them a herd because it would imply social organization which I believe does not occur in this group where individuals also often disappear and join).
The other bulls were wary to approach the fence but they all watched from their relative distance apparently eager to follow the development of events.
The bull stared at us and walked up to the fence as close as it gets.
Some of the others in the background also paid a step forth.
I am not really allowed to approach that fence but I walked to the very side of the road.
My dog barked at the bulls.
It was not a threatening bark (my dog sometimes barks simply to communicate which is poorly understood in species who perceive it as a warning) but the bulls behind the leader retreated significantly.
The leader himself retreated perhaps 2 paces but then he decided that he was not threatened by my dog (or perhaps understood the emotional context behind her bark which suggests of great intelligence).
He walked right back up and the rest of his fellows relaxed but stood still.
I was amazed by this initiative and lack of apathy and I wished I could somehow prolong the exchange.
I noticed a heap of apples which had been dumped further down the road where the apples were, too, rotting away but not accessible to the bulls.
I walked to the heap and I picked out three fresh apples (without spots of rot).
I walked back to the bull enclosure and, from the road, I threw one of the apples over the fence.
The leader immediately perceived the meaning of the gesture (while other times I had brought an apple or a carrot along in order to offer it as a treat to the bulls living there at the time, I had only managed to seriously spook them and they fled from the flying object never returning to inspect it as it landed).
He approached the apple (which had smashed upon impact) and he started feeding on it.
This drew the attention of another larger bull (about the same size but far more timid) who apprehended that it was something edible and not threatening that had been hurled over the fence.
Here I observed a very interesting behavioural sequence.
By this time, the curious bull had been accepted as a dominant individual unanimously by the other bulls who followed his every moment (mostly by staring because they were too shy to move around).
He had gained this status apparently only after our arrival due to his curiosity, boldness and ambition.
Now he would have had the chance to exercise his new status by engaging in the ‘customary’ dominance interactions, e.g., by excluding the other bull from the apple or by making it otherwise attest to his inferiority (for example, by begging or showing other submissive behaviour prior to gaining access).
It is possible that there was little tension because the bulls had been given the vegetables.
Usually, they are fed rather poorly subsiding mainly on hay (the pasture itself has been grazed intermittently for over 6 years presently and it hardly offers any nutritional value or delight).
Perhaps the bulls had eaten very well and hunger at least was not an issue.
The dominant bull was also one of the largest animals in the group which could have reduced tension with smaller bulls (but which would imply the bull had higher metabolic needs and could have been thereby pardoned for being less eager to share).
Be as it may, the currently clearly dominant bull allowed his buddy to push his muzzle right beside the dominant individual’s own muzzle and they fed on the smashed apple side by side, muzzle by muzzle in the most affiliative manner.
When the apple was gone, the dominant bull faced me again inquiring if I had any more treats.
The other bull who had also fed on the first apple, retreated in the background.
It was obvious that through the friendly act of sharing, the leading bull had not lost his dominance and everyone still revered him from a great explorer of new opportunities.
I threw the other two apples over the fence.
I am not very good at throwing things.
The apples landed far from one another.
In fact, they landed on both sides of the dominant bull.
I suppose he was somewhat hungry because he was very enthused about the apples (or it is also possible they never got such treats).
He could not decide which apple to eat first and he turned toward one of the apples and then he jumped around (like a foal or a young goat) to examine the other apple.
It was very playful and he looked rather silly.
I do not know if jumping around is a behaviour found somewhat undignified by other bulls, as well, but it seemed to me that this bull was not attempting to maintain an image of a serious ‘king of the herd’.
He was truly nonchalant and as he finally selected the apple to feed on, other bulls advanced, too, and he did not chase them off from the other apple (although he would have been obviously eager to consume both and by his size and recent authority he would have also been able to appropriate the apples despotically).
I did not have any other apples (the heap by the roadside was very rotten and it had been hard to pick out fresher ones, besides the farm dogs had noticed us and they joined in with much barking which would eventually draw out the owners who are not as friendly as the bull).
I walked away and I could not really believe what I had just witnessed.
The leadership by character (curiosity, ambition, courage), the non-aggressive, relaxed dominance, the friendly sharing of a possibly scarce resource by two bulls one of which could have easily excluded the other but who fed with the other muzzle by muzzle…
It was a leadership example we could learn from.
As it did not seem to me that this bull was more experienced in dominance situations (although I cannot know if he had perhaps grown up around other adults, e.g., adult cows but from observing the group while walking down the road, I did not see any testimonies to his previous dominance), I assume that this type of dominance behaviour could have been innate rather than learned.
Perhaps he was more inclined to perceive his social group as a bachelor herd although the constant impregnation of cows has disrupted the original social structures by introducing a prevalent element of hormonal activity (reproduction determines most relationships).
In any case, I wished to honour this outstanding individual with a post dedicated to him (because by the time I am writing this, he is already deceased).
He turned his chance to dominate into a chance to obtain a moment of happiness and education for his social group rather than to acquire resources for himself (which would have been appreciated to ensure his metabolic needs) and to maintain his dominance at the cost of friendship, closeness and fun.
Notes by Ieva 