Effect of age of introduction to an automated milk feeder on calf learning and performance and labor requirements

Abstract

Group housing of dairy calves with automated milk feeders (AMF) is increasingly being used, but the effect of introducing calves to the AMF at a very young age (<24 h) on calf performance, health, and welfare, as well as farm personnel labor requirements are unknown. The objective of this controlled trial was to investigate whether early (<24 h after birth) introduction of calves affects the time to learn how to drink from the AMF, labor requirements for feeding milk during the learning phase, and average daily gain during the milk-feeding period compared with calves conventionally introduced at 5 d of age. Sixty Holstein calves (heifers and bulls) were assigned at birth to either early introduction (<24 h after birth) or conventional introduction (at 5 d of age) to the group pen with AMF. After birth, calves were housed in individual pens and then introduced, based on assigned treatment, to the group pen with an AMF and a continuous flow stocking approach. Calves were fed milk replacer and gradually weaned from d 47 to 60 of age. Calves had access to starter from 5 d of age, and to water and straw right after colostrum feeding. We measured the time between first training to use the AMF and first unassisted visit to the AMF with milk intake, the number of assisted visits until the calf was independent in its use of the AMF (successful learning), and the total time required for milk feeding (labor) until successful learning. Calves were weighed at birth, 30, 46, and 61 d of age, and were monitored daily for signs of disease. Daily milk and starter intake per calf were automatically recorded. Early-introduced calves took longer to successfully learn to use the AMF {64.9 h [95% confidence interval (CI) = 59.1 to 77.9] vs. 31.4 h (95% CI = 22.8 to 47.9)} and tended to require more assisted visits [7.8 visits (95% CI = 6.2 to 9.7) vs. 5.9 visits (95% CI = 4.8 to 7.5)] compared with conventionally introduced calves. Labor for milk feeding was greater for conventionally introduced calves relative to early-introduced calves [145.6 min (95% CI = 125.1 to 169.4) vs. 39.9 min (95% CI= 33.5 to 47.6)]. Disease risk was similar between treatments but the risk of severe versus mild diarrhea was greater for early- compared with conventionally introduced calves (odds ratio = 4.7; 95% CI 1.01 to 31.1). Early-introduced calves consumed less milk during the first days of life compared with conventionally introduced calves (d 2 = 5.5 vs. 6.4 L; d 3 = 7.0 vs. 8.2 L; d 4 = 7.0 vs. 8.4 L; d 6 = 6.4 vs. 7.9 L; d 7 = 6.0 vs. 7.0 L, respectively), with no differences after 8 d. We found no effect of treatment on average daily gain. Although introducing calves <24 h after birth required more assistance to use the AMF, farm labor for milk feeding tasks was less for early-introduced calves. Thus, with early introduction to AMF, a trade-off may exist between reduced labor per calf, with no effect on weight gain, but potentially a higher risk of severe diarrhea (vs. mild).

Individual characteristics in early life relate to variability in weaning age, feeding behavior, and weight gain of dairy calves automatically weaned based on solid feed intake

“…These calves also had reduced milk intake, drinking speed, visits to the milk feeder, and growth before weaning, and fewer unrewarded visits to the milk feeder in the week after weaning; this result suggests that these calves were less persistent in attempting to gain milk from the feeder, which may indicate a reduced motivation to drink milk. Other work has shown a negative correlation between latency to drink unassisted from the automated feeder and milk intake in the first 2 wk (Fujiwara et al, 2014) and weight gain in the first month (Medrano-Galarza et al, 2018). We speculate that these slow learners may be less resourceful when it comes to maximizing milk intake during the milk-feeding period and solid feed intake in the later stages of weaning, resulting in a later weaning age when weaned based on solid feed intake.…”

“…Calves with low vitality have reduced weight gain at 14 d of age (Furman-Fratczak et al, 2011;Murray et al, 2015), take longer to learn to use automated milk feeders, and have reduced milk intake in the first 2 wk of life (Fujiwara et al, 2014). Calves that required more time to learn to drink from the milk feeder had reduced weight gain at 30 d of age (Medrano-Galarza et al, 2018). These characteristics may also influence how individuals cope with environmental stressors such as weaning, and thus how early calves will wean.…”

The effect of milk feeding strategy and restriction of meal patterning on behavior, solid feed intake, and growth performance of male dairy calves fed via computer-controlled milk feeders

“…This difference in intake was due to STEP calves ingesting less milk than their allowance between 14 and 27 d of age. Young calves have more difficulties learning to use a computer-controlled milk feeder and require more human assistance (Jensen, 2007;Medrano-Galarza et al, 2018). Ensuring that milk feeders are set up so that calves can figure out how to access the allowance allotted to them deserves more research attention, especially when calves are introduced to the teat-feeders while very young, when coming from bucket feeding, or following transport.…”

Associations between Feeding Behaviors Collected from an Automated Milk Feeder and Neonatal Calf Diarrhea in Group Housed Dairy Calves: A Case-Control Study

“…Data were collected from January to July 2017 and January to November of 2018 at the University of Guelph Livestock Research and Innovation Centre—Elora Dairy Facility (Elora, ON, Canada) and from June to August of 2020 at the Grober Young Animal Development Center (Cambridge, ON, Canada). These data were collected from 174 Holstein calves, the majority of which were female, as part of two other studies, one of which was published [ 24 ]. The two research facilities differed in that the Elora Dairy Facility was a closed herd whereas the Grober Young Animal Development Center was an open herd as they bought calves of varying age and sex from various farms.…”

“…The two research facilities differed in that the Elora Dairy Facility was a closed herd whereas the Grober Young Animal Development Center was an open herd as they bought calves of varying age and sex from various farms. In brief, calves at the Elora Dairy Facility were fed 3 L of colostrum by bottle within 2 h and offered another 3 L 12 h later [ 24 ]. Since Grober Young Animal Development Center was an open herd, colostrum management information for these calves was not available.…”