Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2017
Current commercial dairy practice involves the removal of the calf from the dam within the first two days of life. This early separation may result in stress for both cow and calf. However, it may also be that separation occurs before the cow-calf bond is established. The aim of this study was to determine if cows and calves respond to each other's calls after separation and whether they could distinguish their own calf's or dam's calls from another calf's or cow's calls.