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OJVRTM
Online Journal of Veterinary Research©
Volume 21(9):531-542, 2017.
Effect of housing and milk types on behavior,
performance and blood parameters in calves.
Hamidreza
Abbasi, Amirdavar Foroozandeh Shahraki
Department of
Animal Sciences, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic
Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
ABSTRACT
Hamidreza Abbasi, Amirdavar Foroozandeh Shahraki., Effect of housing and milk types on calf
behavior, performance and blood parameters, Onl J Vet
Res., 21(9):531-542, 2017. Authors
describe effect of housing and milk type on behavior, weight gain and blood parameters in calves.
Groups of mixed Holstein breed, 3 day old calves
each, were housed individually or in pairs and fed whole
milk or replacer, and then weaned at 8 weeks. Behavioral responses were
recorded at 20, 40 and 60 days. Body weight was recorded twice, and dry matter
intake once per week. EDTA blood was taken at 30, 45 and 60 days. Calves kept in pairs and fed whole milk gained more weight (P <
0.05) compared with those kept in single housing and fed milk replacer. We
found a significant differences between housing and milk type on serum glucose
and blood nitrogen urea (BUN) at day 30 and β-hydroxybutyrate
(BHBA) at 30, 45 and 60 days (P<0.05). Animals raised in pairs and fed whole
milk had lower glucose but higher BUN and BHBA compared with those kept alone
and fed replacer. Housing and milk type affected standing at day 20, feeding at
days 20 and 40, and licking behaviours at day 60;
P<0.05). Results suggest that grouped calves ingest more solid feed and gain
more weight, than those reared alone. Feeding with whole milk and grouping in
pairs, improved performance in younger calves. Blood glucose, BUN, BHBA were
influenced by whole milk and group housing. Declines in blood glucose
concentrations and increase in BHBA along with improved performance in calves
supplemented with whole milk may reflect an efficient nutrient turnover and a
more efficient tissue accretion. In addition, the results showed the whole milk
and house grouping effects of behavior responses in dairy calves. Taken
together, we suggest that whole supplementation and grouping in housing may be
an efficient method to improve performance and metabolic status of newborn
calves.
Key words:
dairy calves, individual housing, milk replacer, social behavior, social
contact