Associations of behavior-based measurements and clinical disease in preweaned, group-housed dairy calves
Associations of behavior-based measurements and clinical disease in preweaned, group-housed dairy calves
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DOI：
10.3168/jds.2015-10207
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发表时间：
2016-09-01
影响因子：
3.5
通讯作者：
Stanton, A. L.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Cramer, M. C.;Ollivett, T. L.;Stanton, A. L.
生产者报告称，牛呼吸道疾病和新生小牛腹泻是断奶前小牛中最常见的两种疾病，这两种疾病都会影响小牛的生产性能和福利。在断奶前阶段将小牛分组饲养越来越受欢迎，并且有可能改善小牛的福利，但前提是生产者能够有效地检测和治疗疾病。需要一种健康筛查工具，使生产者能够识别可疑动物，但最大限度地减少检查健康动物的时间。本研究的目的是确定疾病在断奶前，组圈养的乳牛与疾病的行为措施。本横断面研究包括对美国威斯康星州4个农场的断奶前分组饲养小牛（n = 206）进行评价。农场访视包括关键行为评分（躺卧或站立时的异常姿势、与群体隔离、嗜睡和2次接近测试，测试小牛接近静止人员的意愿），这些行为被假设为疾病行为的组成部分。在行为评分后，对小牛进行牛呼吸道疾病、新生小牛腹泻和脐带感染的个体健康评估。将每个行为类别评分为正常（0分）或异常（1分），然后将类别相加，以获得每头小牛的总行为评分。行为评分范围为0（正常）至5（严重异常）。总行为评分为3或更高被认为是疾病阳性。使用PROC LOGISTIC（SAS Institute Inc.，卡里，北卡罗来纳州）和模型控制小牛年龄和农场。牛呼吸道疾病与3分或更高的行为评分显著相关。行为评分的使用显示了作为断奶前犊牛疾病筛查工具的希望。
Producers report bovine respiratory disease and neonatal calf diarrhea as the 2 most common diseases in preweaned calves, both of which can affect calf performance and welfare. Housing calves in groups during the preweaning period has increased in popularity and has the potential to improve calf welfare, but only if producers can detect and treat disease efficiently. A health-screening tool is needed that allows producers to identify suspect animals but minimize the time spent examining healthy animals. The objective of this study was to determine if disease in preweaned, group-housed dairy calves was associated with behavioral measures of illness. This cross-sectional study included the evaluation of preweaned, group-housed calves (n = 206) on 4 farms in Wisconsin, United States. Farm visits included the scoring of key behaviors (abnormal posture when lying or standing, isolation from the group, lethargy, and 2 approach tests that tested the willingness of calves to approach a stationary person) that were hypothesized to be components of sickness behavior. Following the behavior scoring, calves underwent an individual health assessment for bovine respiratory disease, neonatal calf diarrhea, and umbilical infections. Each behavior category was scored as normal (0 points) or abnormal (1 point), and then categories were summed to obtain a total behavior score for each calf. Behavior scores ranged from 0 (normal) to 5 (severely abnormal). A total behavior score of 3 or greater was considered positive for disease. The outcome of a positive or negative test on the behavior score were analyzed using PROC LOGISTIC (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) and the model controlled for calf age and farm. Bovine respiratory disease was significantly associated with a behavior score of 3 or greater. The use of a behavior score shows promise as a screening tool for disease in preweaned calves.