Complex social housing reduces food neophobia in dairy calves

Abstract

Animals are often reluctant to consume novel feeds. Research suggests that social housing can reduce fearfulness in animals. The aim of this study was to test the prediction that social housing reduces food neophobia in dairy calves. Beginning immediately at birth, Holstein bull calves were either reared individually (n=18) or in a complex social group with other calves and cows (n=18). In food neophobia tests, calves were exposed to 2 identical buckets, one empty and the other filled with a novel food (chopped hay in trial 1 and chopped carrots in trial 2). Calves were tested for 30 min/d on 3 consecutive days starting at 70 d of age. Regardless of the type of food, socially housed calves consumed more of the novel feed compared with individually housed calves. In trial 1, intake of hay as fed averaged 35 ± 6 versus 18 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed calves. In trial 2, intake of chopped carrots as fed averaged 27 ± 6 versus 6 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed calves, respectively. Social rearing decreased the latency to eat the novel feed. Calves housed in a complex social group began eating the hay after 1:23 ± 1:13 versus 3:58 ± 1:10 min:s for individually housed calves. Latency to begin eating the chopped carrots averaged 3:09 ± 1:17 versus 6:38 ± 1:13 min:s for socially versus individually housed calves. Treatment had no effect on time spent eating, latency to approach the food bucket or the empty bucket in either trial, or on time spent manipulating the empty bucket. These results indicate that housing dairy calves in a complex social group reduces food neophobia. More generally, this study contributes to a series of studies showing that calves raised in more complex social environments may be better able to transition to other changes in their environment.

Personality, immune response and reproductive success: an appraisal of the pace‐of‐life syndrome hypothesis

“…Contrary to high level of activity and exploration that are estimates of a risky behaviour, food neophobia is a mechanism to avoid dangerous food sources (Rozin & Vollmecke 1986) and therefore reflects low risktaking behaviour. Food neophobia was also reported to be affected by social context (Oostindjer et al 2011;Costa et al 2014). In our study, food neophobia and gregariousness were positively correlated meaning that sociable individuals were more reluctant at feeding on new food sources.…”

“…; Costa et al . ). In our study, food neophobia and gregariousness were positively correlated meaning that sociable individuals were more reluctant at feeding on new food sources.…”

Use of a food neophobia test to characterize personality traits of dairy calves

“…For instance, dairy cows consumed very little carrots when exposed to them for the first time, but intake increased with increased length of exposure 22 . Costa et al 23 found that dairy calves reared in a complex social environment were quicker to approach and ate more of a novel food compared to calves reared individually; this behaviour was consistent within calves over 3 test days. The behaviours expressed during exposure to a novel food are thought to reflect fear or interest in the novel food, and a hesitancy to incorporate the novel food into the regular diet 24 .…”

Pair Housing of Dairy Calves and Age at Pairing: Effects on Weaning Stress, Health, Production and Social Networks

“…Rearing method is thus expected to impact stress levels during the process of regrouping. Furthermore, interactions with the physical environment could be affected; indeed there is some evidence that early social conditions impact calves’ exploratory behaviour [39], social facilitation [38], cognition [40, 41] and food neophobia [42]. …”