Computer-controlled milk feeding of group-housed calves: the effect of milk allowance and weaning type.

J Dairy Sci

Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.

Published: January 2006

AI Article Synopsis

  • Calves weaned gradually by reducing milk portions may benefit from decreased milk feeder visits, which can lead to increased concentrate intake.
  • Calves with lower milk allowances occupied the feeder more and consumed more concentrates but didn’t gain as much weight daily.
  • Reducing milk portion number led to more visits to the feeder without increased milk consumption, and halving milk allowance during weaning eliminated the observable effects on feeder occupancy.

Article Abstract

Calves fed by computer-controlled milk feeders are often weaned gradually by reducing the size of the milk portions. However, reducing the number of milk portions instead may lower calves' occupation of the milk feeder and stimulate their concentrate intake, especially when they are offered a high milk allowance. Before weaning, but not during weaning, the calves on low milk allowance occupied the milk feeder more, consumed more concentrates, and had a lower daily gain. There was no interaction between milk allowance and weaning type. Weaning by reducing the number of milk portions resulted in more unrewarded visits to the milk feeder, but less time ingesting a similar amount of milk. The effect of milk allowance on milk feeder occupancy before weaning was not found when this allowance was halved during weaning.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72084-7DOI Listing

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