Effects of simplified group housing on behavior, welfare, growth performance, and health of preweaned dairy calves on a California dairy.

Most US dairy calves are raised in individual hutches for biocontainment purposes and to facilitate monitoring and handling of calves. However, individual hutches typically restrict calves' activity and social interactions. Previous studies showed that group housing (GH) is beneficial to calf welfare and is associated with social benefits. The adoption of GH on dairies is hindered by several concerns, with the primary concern being the potential for increased transmission of diseases due to heightened calf-to-calf contact. In light of this, our study aimed to compare the behavior, health, and growth outcomes of calves housed in groups of 3 to individually housed (IH) calves during the preweaning period. A total of 42 Holstein heifer calves on a commercial dairy in Northern California were enrolled in groups of 3 to different housing treatments; IH (n = 21) or GH (n = 21) between July and October 2020. Each treatment was composed of 7 groups of 3 calves each. Calves in the GH treatment were housed in groups of 3 from 6 to 10 d until 70 d of age. Individual pens consisted of one polyethylene hutch with a 1.5 m × 1.2 m outside exercise area. Group pens were constructed by assembling 3 polyethylene hutches with a 1.5 m × 3.6 m outside exercise area of wire panel fencing. Calves were weighed and measured for height at birth and weaning. Diarrhea and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) scores were recorded daily throughout the preweaning period. Cumulative incidence and hazard ratios were estimated for BRD and diarrhea for GH and IH. A mixed model with pen as a random effect was specified to evaluate the effect of treatment. Group-housed calves gained 0.64 ± 0.02 kg/d while IH calves gained 0.65 ± 0.02 kg/d. Similarly, there was no evidence for treatment differences in withers height gain in GH calves (0.22 ± 0.01 cm/d) compared with IH calves (0.21 ± 0.01 cm/d). The cumulative incidence of BRD based on the California scoring system in GH calves was 75 ± 9.68% compared with 66.66 ± 10.28% in IH calves. Group-housed calves had a BRD hazard of 1.14 times that of IH calves (95% CI: 1.21-2.40). The cumulative incidence of diarrhea (fecal score 3) in GH calves was 100% in comparison to 95.20% ± 4.66% in IH calves. The mean proportion of scan observations of calves feeding on concentrates was significantly higher in GH (0.145 ± 0.004/h) compared with IH calves (0.076 ± 0.003/h) during the preweaning period. The study results provide evidence that this simplified GH system provides benefits of GH without detrimental short-term effects on calf growth and health during the preweaning period.

Lying behaviour and IgG-levels of newborn calves after feeding colostrum via tube and nipple bottle feeding.

Oesophageal tube feeding colostrum is used to ensure sufficient colostrum intake in newborn calves but the impact of tube feeding on animal behaviour is unclear. Therefore the objective of this study was to compare lying behaviour of tube-fed or bottle-fed dairy calves. Calves (n = 37) in 3 groups were offered 3·5 l colostrum 2 h after birth. Calves of the bottle group were fed with a nipple bottle. Calves of the placebo tubing group were tubed for 4 min but no colostrum was given and they were then fed with a nipple bottle. Calves of the tubing group received 3·5 l colostrum via tube feeding. Consumed amount of bottle and placebo tubing calves was recorded. If they refused some of the offered 3·5 l the rest was offered in a second feeding 2 h later. Lying behaviour was measured by data loggers fitted to right hind leg for 3 d. Blood samples were taken 24 h after birth for determination of IgG concentration. The voluntary colostrum intake differed significantly between bottle-fed and placebo tubed calves at first feeding. Considering both colostrum feedings, bottle-fed calves consumed 3·44 ± 0·14 l and placebo tubed calves consumed 3·20 ± 0·38 l colostrum. ImmunoglobulinG intake (255·6 ± 77·5 g IgG), serum IgG concentration 24 h after birth (22·8 ± 6·7 g/l) and total serum protein concentration (6·1 ± 0·6 g/dl) did not differ between groups. None of the calves had a failure of passive transfer. There was no effect of tubing on lying behaviour.

A refined technique for feeding newborn rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Nursery-reared infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have a relatively high risk of aspiration pneumonia because they are typically fed using kitten bottles or syringes or by gavage. These feeding techniques also have the disadvantage of making it difficult to determine how much formula an infant actually consumes. To address these concerns, the authors developed a refined feeding device for infant macaques. Use of this device resulted in no cases of aspiration pneumonia or other feeding-related health complications. The authors conclude that the refined device is a safe and effective way to feed infant macaques.

Effects of colostrum on summit metabolic rate in Scottish blackface lambs at five hours old.

The feeding of colostrum to newborn lambs led to a 17 to 20 per cent increase in summit metabolic rate estimated at five hours of age. This increase would significantly enhance the survival potential of the newborn lamb in the field. Respiratory quotient during summit metabolism and changes in plasma composition suggested that the carbohydrate content of the colostrum was a major contributor to the increase in summit metabolic rate.

Hemolysis associated with water administration using a nipple bottle for human infants in juvenile pygmy goats.

A 4-month-old, 6.8-kg, castrated male pygmy goat was examined for recurrent episodic fever and red urine of 7 days' duration. A second, 3-month-old, 7-kg, intact female pygmy goat was presented for similar clinical signs. The red discoloration of the urine in each case was determined to be due to hemolysis with subsequent hemoglobinuria. In both cases, hemolysis and hemoglobinuria were closely associated with the goats consuming large volumes of water from a human infant's nipple bottle. A diagnosis of water intoxication-induced hemolysis and hemoglobinuria was made. Episodes of hemoglobinuria in the first case were consistently associated with dilute (specific gravity < 1.010) urine. Water intoxication has been associated with bottle-feeding in human infants and is also widely reported in human psychiatric patients. The small erythrocytes in goats appear to be the most sensitive of the domestic species to hypotonicity-induced hemolysis.

Does nutritive and non-nutritive sucking reduce other oral behaviors and stimulate rest in calves?

After a milk meal, bucket-fed calves show non-nutritive oral activities, including cross-sucking, and this can discourage producers from rearing them in groups. Sucking is known to induce a quiet state in humans and rats. We examined if nutritive sucking affects non-nutritive oral activities in calves, if it reduces arousal (assessed through behavior and cardiac activity), and if sucking a dry teat can compensate for the lack of nutritive sucking. In Exp. 1, the behavior and the cardiac activity of individually housed calves fed milk from a bucket were compared to those of calves fed milk through a teat. During the meal, the heart rate of bucket-fed calves was higher than that of teat-fed calves (P < 0.0001). After the meal, only bucket-fed calves displayed bar sucking. Compared to the teat-fed calves, they spent more time licking their pen or their neighbor (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05), their heart rate was less variable (P < 0.01), and they lay down with the head unsupported by the neck less quickly (latency to lie down: 51 min vs 42 min, P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, individually-housed bucket-fed and teat-fed calves were observed with or without access to a non-nutritive teat after the meal. Bucket-fed calves sucked the dry teat for longer than teat-fed calves (P < 0.001). In bucket-fed calves, access to the dry teat reduced the time spent nibbling (P < 0.01) and tended to shorten the latency to lie down (P < 0.10). In Exp. 3, group-housed bucket-fed calves were compared with group-housed calves fed with an automatic teat feeder system. Bucket-fed calves spent more time nibbling at 1 mo, but at 3 mo they spent less time nibbling and cross-sucking; they drank more milk and put on more weight. We conclude that, for calves housed individually, teat-feeding reduces non-nutritive oral activities after the meal and induces a calmer state than bucket-feeding. Providing calves with a dry teat partly compensates for the lack of nutritive sucking. For calves housed in groups, the use of an automatic teat feeder may not reduce calves' motivation for sucking. No improvement of growth was observed with teat-feeding either with a teat-bucket or with an automatic feeder.

Rearing cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) on surrogate mothers with bottle feeding.

Fifty-two cynomolgus monkeys were reared in peer groups on surrogate mothers and fed by bottle during the first months of life. A description of the technique of bottle feeding and the structure of surrogate mothers is presented. Results are shown in a growth curve. Inter-individual differences in body weight were very large. The mean weight was higher in males than in females, but no significant sex differences in growth occurred. The weight of mother-reared infants stayed within the standard deviation of the mean weight of the artificially-reared subjects.

Comparison of three methods of feeding colostrum to dairy calves.

Absorption of colostral immunoglobulins by Holstein calves was studied in 3 herds in which 3 methods of colostrum feeding were used. Failure of passive transfer, as determined by calf serum immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) concentration less than 10 mg/ml at 48 hours of age, was diagnosed in 61.4% of calves from a dairy in which calves were nursed by their dams, 19.3% of calves from a dairy using nipple-bottle feeding, and 10.8% of calves from a dairy using tube feeding. The management factor determined to have the greatest influence on the probability of failure of passive transfer in the herds using artificial methods of colostrum feeding (bottle feeding or tube feeding) was the volume of colostrum fed as it affected the amount of IgG1 received by the calf. In dairies that used artificial feeding methods, failure of passive transfer was infrequent in calves fed greater than or equal to 100 g IgG1 in the first colostrum feeding. In the dairy that allowed calves to suckle, prevalence of failure of passive transfer was greater than 50% even among calves nursed by cows with above-average colostral IgG1 concentration. Analysis of the effect of other management factors on calf immunoglobulin absorption revealed small negative effects associated with the use of previously frozen colostrum and the use of colostrum from cows with long nonlactating intervals.

Health status and risk factors associated with failure of passive transfer of immunity in newborn beef calves in Québec.

Risk factors associated with failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPT) were evaluated among newborn beef calves in Québec. Physical examination was performed on calves born of a normal calving and blood samples were collected for determination of health status and measurement of serum concentration of immunoglobulin (Ig) G1. Of 225 calves, from 45 herds, 19% showed FPT (serum IgG1 concentration < 10.0 g/L). Calves born in a stanchion-stall were more likely to show FPT (OR: 10.2). Calves bottle-fed colostrum were less at risk for FPT (OR: 0.06). Calf gender, month of birth, dam parity, and dam body condition score were not associated with FPT. No association was detected between FPT and health status. Special care should be given to calves born from cows in a stanchion-stall to ensure adequate colostrum intake. Failure of passive transfer of immunity should be considered with other risk factors when investigating morbidity.

Bacterial contamination of colostrum fed to newborn calves in Québec dairy herds.

A convenience sample of 234 colostral specimens, collected directly from the nursing bottle immediately prior to the first feeding, was studied. Samples originated from 6 farms and were collected over 24 months. Routine bacteriologic techniques were used to quantify the bacterial load of the colostrum, as well as to identify the bacteria. Overall, at least 1 microorganism was cultured from 221 colostral samples (94.4%). By using the upper tolerance level of 100,000 bacteria/mL, 84 samples (35.9%) were considered contaminated. Staphylococcus spp. (57.7%), gram-negative rods (47.9%), coliforms (44.0%), and Streptococcus uberis (20.5%) were among the most frequently isolated bacteria. The relative risk (RR) of contamination with more than 100,000 bacteria/mL was significantly greater in warm months [RR = 2.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.63 to 4.02] than in cool months and in colostrum offered to male calves (RR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.20). Bacterial load was also associated with the farm of origin (P < 0.0001). When assessing colostrum management, one should consider bacterial contamination. Multiple factors are likely associated with the degree of contamination, and farm-specific factors may be important. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impact of bacterial contamination of colostrum on neonatal health.

Comparison of colostrum feeding by nipple bottle versus oroesophageal tubing in Holstein dairy bull calves.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the apparent efficiency of absorption of IgG and failure of passive transfer of immunity rates between calves fed colostrum by nipple bottle (NB) and oroesophageal tubing (OET). DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. ANIMALS: 26 Holstein bull calves (age, 4 to 8 hours). PROCEDURES: Calves were randomly assigned to receive colostrum by either NB or OET. Pooled colostrum was used for feeding each group of calves. Calves received either a maximum of 4 L of colostrum fed through an NB over a period of 20 minutes or an equivalent volume of colostrum fed by OET. Subsequently, a pair of similarly aged calves received similar volumes of colostrum with similar immunoglobulin concentrations. Colostrum was fed only once. Thereafter, calves were fed 2 L of milk replacer every 12 hours. All calves survived to at least 48 hours of age. Serum samples were collected prior to feeding colostrum and at 48 hours of age for determination of serum immunoglobulin concentrations. RESULTS: There were no differences in failure of passive transfer of immunity rates and apparent efficiency of absorption of IgG between calves fed by NB or OET. Volume of colostrum fed was the only significant variable in determining failure of passive transfer of immunity in calves at 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Reported advantages and disadvantages of either feeding method are likely to be of minimal practical relevance in achieving adequate passive transfer of immunity in calves when calves are fed a similar volume of colostrum with comparable immunoglobulin concentrations.

Colostrum management in calves: effects of drenching vs. bottle feeding.

The objective was to examine whether the administration of colostrum by a drencher is a safe method to achieve satisfying immunoglobulin concentrations in newborn Holstein Friesian (HF)-calves. Twenty-one calves were fed 1 h postnatum with 2 l colostrum from their dam using a nipple bottle (group I); 15 calves were drenched with 4 l colostrum from their dam 1 h postnatum (group II). Thereafter, all calves were fed milk replacer exclusively. Serum concentration of total immunoglobulin [analysed by Sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)] 24 h postnatum was higher in drenched calves (25.2 g/l; 12.8/52.2; median and 10/90 percentiles) compared with bottle-fed calves (14.1 g/l; 9.2/24.7). To characterize the kinetics of immunoglobulin absorption, 17 blood samples were taken frequently within 72 h postnatum using a jugular catheter in five calves fed 2 l colostrum by nipple bottle and five calves drenched with 4 l colostrum 1 h postnatum. A slightly delayed increase of serum immunoglobulin concentration (approximately 3 h) was obvious in drenched calves compared with bottle-fed calves, but drenched calves reached significantly higher immunoglobulin concentrations compared with bottle-fed calves. It is concluded that the proper application of colostrum by a drencher is a useful method for adequate colostral supply in newborn calves. The failure of the oesophageal groove reflex in drenched calves caused no clinical consequences.

Technique for hand-rearing and reintroducing rejected cotton-top tamarin infants.

During a one year period, seven rejected cotton-top tamarin infants were hand-reared. A hand-rearing program was developed which included the use of heated surrogates, a non-human primate infant formula, special nipples, and a systematic reintroduction into a family group. This regimen was quite successful. The hand-rearing process yielded a success rate of 75.0%, while the reintroduction process had a success rate of 80.0% for reintroduction into a family group and 100.0% survival rate.

Effect of feeding method on nonnutritive oral activities in Holstein calves.

Forty Holstein heifer calves were assigned to be fed whole milk from either bucket, bucket with pacifier, nipple bottle, or nipple bottle with pacifier. The pacifier was a nursing bottle with an unperforated nipple. Calves were housed in individual hutches and fed twice daily. Calves were 3 d of age at first observation and were observed biweekly until 42 d of age. Observations were conducted beginning at either 1000 or 1400 h from September through March. A novel object (bicycle inner tube), selected to serve as a focal object for the sucking drive, was placed in the calf's environment and calf behaviors observed during the next 5 min. Time of observation did not influence nonnutritive oral behaviors (sniffing, licking, sucking, chewing, oral grooming, and nose licking). Time spent in nonnutritive oral behaviors increased with age. Regardless of availability of a pacifier, bucket-fed calves spent more time in sniffing the focal object than bottle-fed calves. Calves with access to pacifiers sucked other objects more than calves without pacifiers. The more curious animals spent more time involved in nonnutritive oral behaviors.

Serum chemistry and lipid profiles in neonatal beagle puppies fed homemade milk replacer formulas.

Milk replacer formulas based on cow's milk and egg yolks are frequently recommended for use in neonatal puppies. These formulas are lower in protein, kilocalories, calcium, and phosphorus than bitch's milk. In addition, the cholesterol content is greater than bitch's milk. The effect of feeding these formulas on serum chemistry profiles, lipid profiles, and alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme profiles of 5-week-old beagle puppies was studied. Three groups of beagle puppies were fed bitch's milk (control) (n = 18), a homemade milk-egg-oil formula (Formula 1) (n = 18), or a homemade milk-egg-oil formula supplemented with additional calcium and phosphorous (Formula 2) (n = 18). Concentrations of serum urea nitrogen, albumin, and total CO2 were lower (P < 0.05), and concentrations of serum phosphorus, globulins, sodium, chloride, and cholesterol were higher (P < 0.05) in formula-fed puppies than bitch-fed puppies. Serum potassium concentration was lower in the puppies fed Formula 1 than in the control puppies (P < 0.05), and serum potassium concentration in the puppies fed Formula 2 was not significantly different from that in puppies fed Formula 1 or the control puppies. Total triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein2 cholesterol (HDL2) concentrations were similar in all three groups of puppies but the combined high density lipoprotein1 (HDL1) plus low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol fraction was higher (P < 0.05) in the formula-fed puppies and accounted for the majority of the increase in cholesterol. There were no differences (P < 0.05) in total serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) or bone-derived ALP (BALP) concentrations among the groups, however there was a higher (P < 0.05) serum concentration of liver-derived ALP (LALP) in the Formula 1-fed puppies. Feeding homemade egg and cow's milk-based puppy replacement formulas is not recommended for long term use.

Supplemental feeding of marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) triplets.

In a colony of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), all fifteen infants from five sets of triplet births were successfully reared with their parents. Two supplemental feedings were given each infant daily. As an alternative to hand-rearing or foster rearing, the supplemental feeding method eliminated the time-consuming process of hand caring for an infant on a 24-hour per day basis.

The absorption of immunoglobulin from colostrum by bottle-fed lambs.

Factors affecting the absorption of immunoglobulin from colostrum by new born lambs were studied. Merino, Scottish Blackface, Cheviot, Southdown, Border Leicester, Finnish Landrace and Finnish Landrace x Dorset Horn lambs were removed from their mothers before sucking and bottle-fed with measured amounts of colostrum, either from individual ewes, or from pools of colostrum, some of which had been frozen for up to two years. Afterwards the lambs were fostered onto other ewes or reared on milk substitute. Their serum IgG1 concentrations before and after colostrum intake, were compared with IgG1 concentrations in conventionally reared lambs. The concentrations in lambs given a single feed of 150 to 200 g 1 hour after birth, or 30 g/kg at 1 hour and 7 hours compared favourably with those in control lambs. Lambs fed 50 to 100 g at 1 hour had a high proportion of very low concentrations and lambs fed 30 g/kg at 1 h, or at 1 and 24 h had low mean concentrations but no very low individual concentrations. The concentrations after a feed at 1 hour were positively correlated with the total amounts of IgG1 in the colostrum and negatively correlated with the birth weights. Only very small amounts were absorbed at 24 hours. Absorption was more efficient in males than in females and in Cheviots than in other breeds. It was unaffected by the age of the colostrum. Similar proportions of bottle-fed and control lambs died before 6 months of age, but relatively more bottle-fed lambs died from respiratory infections. The IgG1 concentrations and growth rates of the bottle-fed lambs were not significantly correlated.