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Parental Behavior in Bovines
1Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden. Lena.Lidfors@slu.se.
Advances in Neurobiology
|September 28, 2022
Summary
Calf birth involves immediate maternal care and colostrum suckling for immunity. Farmers intervene if calves can't nurse within 4-6 hours, using fresh or frozen colostrum. Beef and dairy calves have different weaning and housing practices.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Animal Husbandry
- Neonatal Calf Care
Background:
- Cows give birth to a single calf after a 9-month gestation period.
- Newborn calves lack immune defenses and require colostrum for passive immunity.
- Maternal behavior includes immediate licking and protection of the newborn calf.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the critical early-life events and care requirements for newborn calves.
- To outline management practices for ensuring adequate colostrum intake in calves.
- To differentiate rearing and weaning strategies for beef and dairy calves.
Main Methods:
- Observational description of calving, maternal-neonate interactions, and calf nursing behavior.
- Documentation of farmer interventions for ensuring colostrum intake.
- Description of housing and weaning protocols for beef and dairy calves.
Main Results:
- Calves typically stand within 30 minutes and attempt to nurse within 2 hours.
- Colostrum intake is crucial within 4-6 hours post-birth for passive immunity.
- Beef calves are weaned at 6-8 months, while dairy calves are typically separated and artificially reared shortly after birth.
Conclusions:
- Successful colostrum transfer is vital for calf survival and health.
- Management decisions regarding separation, feeding, and housing significantly impact calf development.
- Divergent practices exist for beef and dairy calf rearing, influencing their early life experiences.
Keywords:
Calf behaviorCow-calf separationIsolationMaternal lickingMother-young attachmentParturitionSucklingVocalizationWeaningMore Related Videos
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