Validation of a subjective temperament score and its correlation with hair whorl position in beef cattle

A categorical hair whorl (HW) position scale has been proposed as a selection tool for temperament in infrequently handled beef cattle. However, the reliability of the approach may be obscured by the subjective score (SS) used to validate it. Using frequently handled cattle, the aims of the study were (1) to validate the SS used previously to assess temperament by comparison with objective observations (behaviour in a crush, flight speed (FS), interaction with a novel object (NO), (2) to validate the use of HW measures themselves against these objective observations, and (3) to investigate whether a continuous HW measure can discriminate between animals differing only slightly in HW position. Seventy-six crossbred finisher beef animals were used. With the SS approach, animals were recorded simultaneously by two observers whilst restrained in a bail and videotaped for objective recording of behaviour and FS. Inter- (Kappa coefficient 0.35) and intra-observer reliabilities (rs=0.69) for SS were significant (P