title: Effects of individual housing design and size on special-fed Holstein veal calf growth performance, hematology, and carcass characteristics.
abstract: The objective was to evaluate the effects of individual housing design (stalls vs pens) with widths of 56, 66, and 76 cm (2 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement) on growth, hematology, cleanliness, ambulation, abomasal hairball, and carcass measurements. Three groups of 36 Holstein bull calves (n = 108) were randomly allotted within group to treatments. There were no effects (P > .05) of housing design, width, or two-way interactions for BW, ADG, carcass weight, or dressing percentage. Blood samples were collected at approximately 33-d intervals. Mean values for hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell count (WBC), and red blood cell count (RBC) were not different among treatments (P > .05), with the exception of d 28 hemoglobin, which was greater in the calves housed in 66-cm vs 76-cm stall. There were differences (P < .05) due to design and design x width effects for hind-quarter cleanliness; manure accumulation tended to be greater in pens vs stalls as width increased. There were increases (P < .05) in left front knee swelling scores as stall or pen size decreased; no important differences were observed in ambulatory ability among treatment groups. There were design effects (P < .05) for excitability scores, with calves in stalls being more excitable. There were no important treatment effects (P > .05) for liver, spleen, and lung condition, number of abomasal hairballs, or 0- and 24-h after slaughter flank or brisket color. These results indicate that housing designs and widths did not affect veal calf growth performance, WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, ambulation, or muscle color.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Terosky
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Stull
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Stricklin
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000592:standards*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006799:Housing, Animal / Q000592:standards*; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D013154:Spleen / Q000502:physiology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins