Impact of Maternal High Stocking Density during the Dry Period on Dairy Calf Health, Behaviour, and Welfare

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of maternal stocking density during late pregnancy (approximately 60 ± 4 days before calving) on offspring performance during the pre-weaning period. Forty-five dairy calves were born to cows that went through either industry minimum standards (H: n = 24, high stocking density) or more extensive space allowances (L: n = 21, low stocking density) during the dry period. Body weight and average daily gain during the pre-weaning period (day 1–49) were measured. Observations were made of: (i) activity levels (day 2–6); ii) the level of training required to use an automatic feeder, and behavioural reactions to the group environment (d7); (iii) feeding and social behaviour in the group pen (day 7–21); and (iv) responses to weaning (day 40–49) and disbudding (day 28+). Compared to L calves, H calves made more frequent social contacts with pen mates in the group pen (p = 0.003) and decreased their lying time around weaning (p = 0.045). Among the healthy calves, L calves displayed more severe behavioural reactions to the disbudding procedure (p < 0.001), a significant increase in salivary cortisol concentrations (p = 0.013), and more frequent pain-related behaviour (p = 0.036). This study indicated associations between maternal stocking density during late pregnancy and some welfare-relevant offspring outcomes during the pre-weaning period; these effects were found to be modulated by offspring health status.

Calf Management: Individual or Paired Housing Affects Dairy Calf Health and Welfare

“…As an alternative to blood sampling, salivary cortisol is a non-invasive approach, having approximately a 10% yield in cortisol in comparison to plasma [ 11 ]. Salivary cortisol samples have been shown to peak approximately sixty minutes after a stressful event in previous calf studies [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]; so, salivary cortisol is a useful tool to help assess the stress response in calves during the preweaning period.…”