Sucking behaviour of hand-reared newborn dairy calves.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feeding ability of calves during the first 4 days after birth.


METHODS
The sucking behaviour of 171 dairy calves, fed from individual bottles during the first 4 days after birth, was evaluated by quantifying the volume of colostrum consumed, the duration of feeding, and speed of drinking. Calves had been separated from their mothers and brought into a rearing shed in the morning, when < 24 h of age, and were offered 2 L colostrum from a bottle in the afternoon of the same day, and twice daily thereafter.


RESULTS
Newborn calves became efficient suckers from bottles within 24 h of removal from their dams (collection). On the day after birth, 95% of calves drank the 2 L of colostrum offered during the afternoon feed, and by Day 4 virtually all calves (99%) drank this amount. Calves that had inadequate colostrum from their dam were more likely to drink all 2 L offered after collection, but a small number of calves that had not had colostrum from their dams and drank < 500 ml at the afternoon feed following collection were likely not to drink 2 L on the following days. However, calves that did not drink all 2 L on Day 1 were not disadvantaged in comparison to those that did, in that they were equally likely to drink 2 L on Day 4.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of calves became efficient drinkers within 48 hours of birth, but a small number of slow feeders may need individual feeding at least up to 4 days after birth.
Stafford
K J
KJ
Animal Welfare and Bioethics Centre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand. k.j.stafford@massey.ac.nz
Mellor
D J
DJ
Corner
R
R
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003126:Colostrum; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*