title: Some indicators of welfare of crated veal calves on three dietary iron regimens.
abstract: Holstein calves were managed from less than 1 wk of age as in the special-fed veal industry but subjected to three dietary regimens (n = 10/group): low dietary iron (LI = approximately 5 mg iron/kg dry milk replacer) throughout 16 wk; 2) high then low dietary iron (H-LI = 140 mg/kg through d 18, then approximately 5 mg/kg through wk 16; a typical industrial scheme) or 3) high dietary iron (HI = approximately 105 mg/kg throughout the study). Several physiologic, behavioral and health indicators of welfare were monitored at various times. From wk 7 on, blood hemoglobin concentration was higher in HI calves than in LI, whereas that in H-LI calves was intermediate. Blood red cell count was higher in HI calves than in LI from wk 11 to 16, and was higher in HI than in H-LI from wk 14 to 16. Ratio of blood segmented neutrophils to lymphocytes (an indicator of stress) did not differ due to dietary regimen. Between wk 2 and 16, lying time increased from 69.5 to 76.6% of total time. Oral behaviors (e.g., licking and gnawing) occupied less than 15% of total time. Dietary regimen did not affect time spent either lying or engaging in oral behaviors. Calves in all dietary-regimen and slaughter-age groups experienced high frequencies of pneumonia, digestive-tract maladies and trichobezoars, but neither disease nor medical-treatment frequency was related to dietary regimen. Live, hot-dressed carcass and liver weights of the five calves/group slaughtered at 16 wk were not affected by dietary regimens, but carcass grade was highest for LI calves and lowest for HI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors: Anim. Sci. Dept., University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: McFarlane
authors: G L
authors: GL
authors: Morris
authors: S E
authors: SE
authors: Curtis
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Simon
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: McGlone
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001835:Body Weight; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007501:Iron