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The effect of restricted suckling and non-suckling systems on dairy cow and calf behaviour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2021

J. K. Margerison ,
C. J. C. Phillips  and
T. R. Preston
J. K. Margerison
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales (Bangor), Bangor, North Wales LL57 2UW
C. J. C. Phillips
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madinley Road, Cambridge CB3 0EJ, United Kingdom
T. R. Preston
Affiliation:
Centre for the Development of Sustainable Systems (CIPAV), Colombia, S. America
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Extract

Artificial rearing necessitates stressful cow-calf separation (Lefcourt and Elsasser, 1995; Hopster et al, 1995) and precipitates cross-suckling (Lidfors, 1993). Thus, suckling systems may improve the welfare of cows and calves, by alleviating 'stressful' cows-calf separation and satiating suckling motivation. The aim of this experiment was to compare behaviour in cows and calves in restricted suckling and non-suckling systems.

Thirty six multiparous dairy cows and calves were divided at 4 days postpartum into three groups. The treatment groups were; non-suckled (NS) cows with calves artificially reared (AR), cows suckled by their own calf (RSM) and cows suckled by a foster calf (RSF). Suckling took place for 15 minutes following mechanical milking only.

Type
Beef
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 1996 , March 1996 , pp. 128
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1996

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References

Hopster, H., O'Connell, J. M. and Blokhuis, H. J. 1995. Acute effects of cows-calf separation on hart rate, plasma Cortisol and behaviour in multiparous dairy cows. Applied Animal Science 44:1–8.10.1016/0168-1591(95)00581-CCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lidfors, L. M. 1993. Cross-suckling in group-housed dairy calves before and after weaning off milk. Applied Animal Science 20:237–247.10.1016/0168-1591(88)90049-4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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