- A properly managed maternity pen is important to reduce stress and provide a comfortable environment for both dam and newborn calf. Maternity pens also reduce morbidity and mortality of calves.
- Calves form a maternal bond with their mom even when quickly removed and exhibit a stress response when taken away.
- Calves exhibit a pessimistic judgement bias after maternal separation which indicate a negative effective state.
- Housing calves individually has a lot of welfare concerns, especially attributed to natural living and affective states.
- Allowing the pre-weaned calf to suckle, instead of bucket feed has important benefits contributing to health, natural living and affective state.
Brown Swiss Dairy Calves in Kansas with teat suckling system Photo Credit
- Giving more milk instead of using conventional feedings method of low quantities of milk improves health, alleviates hunger and reduces cross-suckling.
- Incorporating housing for calves that allows intermittent contact with the mom or even visual stimulation improves welfare.
- Group Housing of small groups allows social contact and play behavior and more natural for calves. Proper management techniques such as disinfecting navels, utilizing proper density and cleanliness can reduce health risks for calves.
- Individually housed calves can benefit from pair-housing which has shown to be feasible for farmers and provides the calf social interactions.
- Using a variety of enrichment in the housing system can stimulate the calves in a positive way.
