Mortality and health treatment rates of dairy calves in automated milk feeding systems in the Upper Midwest of the United States

Abstract

Automated calf feeding systems are increasing in use across the United States, yet information regarding health and mortality outcomes of animals in these systems is limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between farm management practices, housing, and environmental factors with mortality and health treatment rates of preweaned dairy calves housed in groups with automated feeding systems. Farm records were collected for health treatments and mortality on 26 farms in the Upper Midwest of the United States. Relationships between factors of interest and mortality or treatment rate were calculated using a correlation analysis. Overall median annual mortality rate was 2.6 (interquartile range = 3.6; range = 0.24-13.4%), and 57% of farms reported mortality rates below 3%/yr. Farms that disinfected the navels of newborn calves had lower mortality rate (mean = 3.0%; standard error = 0.8; 78% of farms) than farms that did not disinfect (mean = 7.3%; standard error = 1.6; 22% of farms). Farm size (number of cows on site) was negatively associated [correlation coefficient (r) = -0.53], whereas the age range in calf groups was positively associated (r = 0.58) with mortality rate. Average serum total protein concentration tended to be negatively associated with annual mortality rate (r = -0.39; median = 5.4; range = 5.0-6.4 g/dL). Health treatment rate was positively associated with coliform bacterial count in feeder tube milk samples [r = 0.45; mean ± standard deviation (SD) = 6.45 ± 4.50 ln(cfu/mL)] and the age of calves at grouping (r = 0.50; mean ± SD = 5.1 ± 3.6 d). A positive trend was detected for coliform bacterial count of feeder mixing tank milk samples [r = 0.37; mean ± SD = 3.2 ± 6.4 ln(cfu/mL)] and calf age at weaning (r = 0.37, mean ± SD = 57.4 ± 9.6 d). Seasonal patterns indicated that winter was the season of highest treatment rate. Taken together, these results indicate that, although automated feeding systems can achieve mortality rates below the US average, improvements are needed in fundamental calf care practices, such as colostrum management and preventing bacterial contamination of the liquid diet and the calf environment.

Effects of Sodium Butyrate Supplementation in Milk on the Growth Performance and Intestinal Microbiota of Preweaning Holstein Calves

“…Calf feeding and management for optimal growth are increasingly receiving attention from farmers. Improved growth is related to a better health status in preweaning calves and thus to dairy farm interests and weaning success [ 1 , 2 ]. In addition, a growing body of evidence has shown that the milk yield of dairy cows is affected by their growth and health in the suckling period [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Evaluation of hemogram parameters in neonatal diarrhoeic calves with and without gastrointestinal protozoa infections

“…(Norberg, 2008;Naylor, 2009;Raboisson et al, 2013;Elitok and Elitok, 2016;Motus et al, 2017). In the United States, these rates are between 6 to 8%, and the annual economic damage resulting from the loss of calves is calculated to be about $125 million (Meyer et al, 2001;Jorgensen et al, 2017). The survival rate of calves due to the presence of protozoan-induced diarrhoea is reported to be significantly different compared to those without diarrhoea (Glombowski et al, 2017).…”

A survey of management practices that influence calf welfare and an estimation of the annual calf mortality risk in pastured dairy herds in Uruguay

“…Omphalitis can lead to delayed growth, septic arthritis, and umbilical hernias (Mee, 2008). Jorgensen et al (2017) observed that farms practicing navel disinfection in newborn calves had a lower mortality risk (average = 3.0%) than those not following the practice (average = 7.3%).…”