Effects of pair versus individual housing on the behavior and performance of dairy calves
Effects of pair versus individual housing on the behavior and performance of dairy calves
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DOI：
10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(02)74082-4
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发表时间：
2002-02-01
影响因子：
3.5
通讯作者：
Weary, DM
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chua, B;Coenen, E;Weary, DM
本研究比较了通过人工乳头随意饲喂牛奶的单独饲养和成对饲养的小牛的健康、性能和行为。小牛在出生后24 h内与其母兽分离，并分配至单个围栏（10头小牛）或组围栏（10对成对圈养小牛）中。小牛在约5周龄时逐渐断奶，并继续进行实验直至第8周。在第2至8周期间对行为进行视频记录。断奶前后，小牛体重稳步增加，处理之间无差异。在断奶的一周内，成对饲养的小牛继续正常增重，但单独饲养的小牛经历了生长检查。两组在牛奶、发酵剂或干草的摄入量或腹泻的发生率方面没有差异。在自我梳理毛发、吮吸乳头或躺下的时间上也没有差异。然而，与单独圈养的动物相比，成对圈养的小牛花费更多的时间站立不动，更多的时间移动，并且头部离开围栏的时间更少。配对小牛花了大约2%的一天的社会接触，和发生率的激动行为和交叉吸吮是非常低的。这些结果表明，将乳牛成对圈养可以带来好处，例如增加运动空间和社交机会，而不会对健康和体重增加造成不利影响。
This study compared the health, performance, and behavior of individually and pair-housed calves fed milk ad libitum by artificial teats. Calves were separated from their dams within 24 h of birth and assigned to housing in either a single pen (10 calves) or a group pen (10 pairs of pair-housed calves). Calves were gradually weaned at approximately 5 wk of age and remained on the experiment until wk 8. Behavior was video recorded during wk 2 to 8. Before and after weaning, calves gained weight steadily with no differences between treatments. During the week of weaning, pair-housed calves continued to gain weight normally, but the individually housed calves experienced a growth check. There were no differences between groups in the amounts of milk, starter, or hay consumed, or in the incidence of scouring. There were also no differences in the amount of time spent self-grooming, sucking on the teat, or lying down. However, pair-housed calves spent more time standing inactive, more time moving, and less time with their head out of the pen than individually housed animals. Paired calves spent approximately 2% of the day in social contact, and the incidences of agonistic behavior and cross-sucking were very low. These results indicate that housing dairy calves in pairs allows benefits such as increased space for movement and social opportunities with no disadvantages in health and weight gains.