PubMed · 2026-02-14
A study tested whether calves could learn to be comfortable around humans by watching their foster cows receive gentle handling. No such social transmission effect was found, likely because the cows themselves did not visibly enjoy the interactions.
33 foster calves across 2 batches were tested; those who observed gentle human-cow interactions showed no reduction in avoidance distance compared to controls at 3 weeks or ~6 months of age.
Foster cows displayed very few behavioral signs of enjoyment (e.g., neck stretching, ear hanging) during gentle handling sessions, suggesting the intended positive emotional state was not achieved.
No significant treatment effect was found on calf approach behavior or avoidance distance in either familiar (home pen) or unfamiliar environments.