Behavioral Investigation of Group Rearing Calves in Automatic Milk Replacer Feeding System

摘要

The objective of this study was to examine the behavior of calf in an automatic milk replacer feeding system for the improvement of the system. Twenty-six calves were kept in a pen with an automatic milk replacer feeding station, a calf starter troughand a water trough. The location and behavioral type of individual calf were checked every minute during 24-hour observation. On the average, a calf lie 1,020 minutes/day, occupied the automatic feeding system for 35, waited 59 for the station and accessed calf starter trough for 61 minutes/day. Maximum occupancy time of the system was 92 minutes/day and the minimum was 5. There was long idle time in their rewarded occupancy. In total, 312 minutes/day was used for non-rewarded occupancy. The location or space occupation by calf with a higher rate was areas along with the partition of the pen, especially in front of the automatic feeding station and the trough for drinking water and calf starter. Calves used areas along with a partition wall without troughs or the station, for lying at rest in a higher rate. Calves spent little time in the center area of the pen. It was suggested that shorter idle time on rewarded occupancy and less non-rewarded occupancy was needed in this system for a better use ofthe automatic feeding system, and that more studies on dealing with space use of rearing area is needed a better design of housing.