1. Five or eight weeks of restricted suckling: influence on dairy calves' feed intake, growth and suckling behaviour
- Author
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Satu Raussi, Hannu Saloniemi, Pirjo Pursiainen, Isabelle Veissier, Katja Ikkeläjärvi, Helena Hepola, Liisa Syrjälä-Qvist, ProdInra, Migration, University of Helsinki, Agrifood Research Finland, Unité de Recherches sur les Herbivores (URH), and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
- Subjects
Veterinary medicine ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Biology ,[INFO] Computer Science [cs] ,CALF ,Animal science ,MILK ,Food Animals ,Weaning ,[INFO]Computer Science [cs] ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,2. Zero hunger ,Lost Weight ,05 social sciences ,0402 animal and dairy science ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,040201 dairy & animal science ,CONCENTRATE ,[SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio] ,HAY ,SUCKLING ,Hay ,Animal Science and Zoology ,WEANING ,NURSING - Abstract
Concern about welfare and behavioural needs of animals has increased the interest in keeping calf and cow together after parturition. In this experiment six calves suckled their dams twice a day for five weeks then once a day for three weeks (DAM8). Six calves (DAM5) suckled during five weeks in the same way as calves in DAM8 and were then abruptly weaned. Six calves (TEAT8) were fed the same amount of milk from teat buckets as DAM8. Consumption of dry feed by all calves was low at the age of five weeks. Consequently, the calves abruptly weaned at the age of five weeks lost weight after weaning. Nursing times were quite similar (about 20 min) during the entire suckling period. However, reducing suckling from twice a day to once a day at the age of five weeks increased the frequency of teat changing. In conclusion, total weaning at the age of five weeks from high milk allowance seems not recommendable. Five weeks of twice a day suckling followed by three weeks of once a day suckling is likely to r...
- Published
- 2007