Higher dominance position does not result in higher reproductive success in female beef cattle

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether beef cows that achieve higher dominance status than their age-mates have prolonged reproductive life, increased number of offspring born and weaned, and/or heavier BW of the offspring. We also assessed whether maternal dominance rank affects the offspring sex ratio. We recorded data on 309 potential deliveries of female beef cows with known dominance status in a seasonally pastured herd over a 14-yr period and linked them with yearly records of dominance status of the cows assessed around feeding. We did not find any effect of age-corrected dominance index on cow reproductive success measured as delivery or weaning success, calf birth weight or weaning weight, survival of the cow to the following reproductive season, or sex of the conceived calf (generalized linear models, P > 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that in a typical situation of pastured beef cattle, there might be no selection for individual striving to achieve higher dominance status.