Few bulls show signs of stress or anxiety just before bucking performance - A new study by a renowned animal welfare and behaviour expert at the University of Calgary looks at the stress levels of bucking bulls at the Calgary Stampede. The study — the first to examine the handling of bucking bulls before a rodeo performance — found that few bulls show signs of stress or anxiety. “The major conclusion of our study was that at this specific rodeo, the majority of bulls did not show behavioural indicators of fear prior to the performance,” says Dr. Ed Pajor, professor in animal behaviour and welfare at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) and Anderson-Chisholm Chair in Animal Care and Welfare. “The evidence does not support concerns that bulls were agitated prior to performance.”