Modifying defecation behavior in cattle

Abstract

Cattle do not naturally defecate in specific locations, creating challenges for hygiene, health, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability in production systems. The ability to toilet train cattle to defecate in designated areas would enable improved management of feces reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cost of management, and enhancing animal welfare. In this proof-of-concept study, we evaluated whether defecation behavior in steers could be modified using negative reinforcement. Eight halter-trained steers were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 4) or control (n = 4) group. Over a total of 22 consecutive days, individual steers were placed daily in a 13×4-foot training pen for a two-hour session. Experimental steers were tied and released only after defecation occurred, at which point they also received a small feed reward (distillers' grain). If defecation did not occur, steers were released after two hours without reinforcement. Control steers were similarly tied and released upon defecation but received no feed reward. All sessions were observed, and data was collected on defecation timing and frequency. Contrary to expectations, the experimental group took longer on average to defecate than the control group. Further investigation is needed to refine training strategies and assess the role of motivation, stress, and environmental familiarity in modifying elimination behaviors in cattle.