Study type: Medical/biological study (observational study)

Magnetic alignment in grazing and resting cattle and deer med./bio.

By: Begall S, Cerveny J, Neef J, Vojtech O, Burda H
Published in: Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2008; 105 (36): 13451-13455
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study whether grazing and resting cattle, red deer and roe deer align their bodies along the geomagnetic field.

Background/further details

Cattle (n=8510) were analyzed in 6 continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America) by satellite pictures. Red deer and roe deer (n=2974) were observed in the Czech Republic in 227 localities by direct observations and indirectly via "snow beds" (resting position).

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Exposure

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Exposure 1

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  • during exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Body axes of cattle, roe deer and red deer showed a significant deviation from random distribution with a preference for a north-south alignment. No statistically significant influences of wind and sun were found.
The data indicate that ruminants could have some kind of magnetoreception system.

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