Data from: Naïve domestic Bos Taurus calves recognize the scent of a canine predator

Wild ungulates can recognize certain predators without previous
experience, but this innate ability may be relaxed under domestication.
Using naïve dairy calves, Bos taurus, we examined the effects of exposure
to a predator odour (coyote, Canis latrans, urine) and two control odours
(deer urine and water) on (1) latency to approach a milk food reward, (2)
exploration, vigilance and locomotor play, (3) magnitude of the startle
response to a sudden noise delivered upon arrival at the feeder and (4)
heart rate during feeding in 10 min trials on three consecutive days. In
response to predator odour, calves delayed feeding and tended to explore
more and play less in the first 30 s of the trial compared to calves
exposed to control odours. The duration spent feeding and standing with
the head raised (i.e. vigilant) did not differ among treatments. On the
first day, calves exposed to predator odour startled more to a sudden
noise than control animals. Mean heart rate during feeding decreased
across days in the control treatments, but not in the predator treatment,
suggesting a sustained response to the predator odour. We conclude that
naïve domestic calves retain the ability to distinguish between predator
and nonpredator odour.