Interpretation of behavioral data from a computer controlled milk feeder
P. P. Nielsen1, M. B. Jensen2 and L. Lidfors1
1Department of Animal Environment and Health,
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
2Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, Danish
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark
Valuable behavior data may be automatically generated from an automatic
milk feeder. This
data can be used to evaluate the effect of various feeding and management
schedules on
milk feeding behavior. Furthermore, we can investigate the calves
preferred diurnal rhythm
of milk intake, how much, how often and also how fast the calves prefer
to ingest milk.
This type of information can be used in optimising the programming and
the use of these
feeders to better suit the calves social and feeding behavior.
The effect of milk allowance and type of weaning on milk feeder occupancy
in dairy calves
was investigated. Four blocks of 12 calves (n=48) were used. Within block
calves had access
to either a low milk allowance (4.8 l/day for heavy breeds and 3.6 l/day
for Jersey) or a high
milk allowance (9.2 l/day for heavy breeds and 7.2 l/day for Jersey),
while concentrate was
feed ad libitum. The two groups in each block were assigned to either
gradual weaning
from six to eight weeks of age, or abruptly weaning at eight weeks of
age.
Abruptly weaned calves had a shorter total duration and a lower number
of unrewarded visits to the milk feeder the last two days before weaning
than gradually weaned calves (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively).
However, the first two days after weaning abruptly weaned calves had a
longer total duration and a higher number of unrewarded visits than gradually
weaned calves (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively). Calves on high
milk allowance had a shorter total duration and a lower number of unrewarded
visits to the milk feeder than calves on low milk allowance before the
gradual weaning started (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively).
These results show that gradually weaning of calves reduces unrewarded
occupancy of the milk feeder the first few days after weaning compared
to abrupt weaning. Furthermore, a high milk allowance reduces unrewarded
occupancy of the milk feeder. The results represents an example of how
automatically collected data from a milk feeder can be used to evaluate
calves behavioral reaction to different feeding treatments.
Paper presented
at Measuring Behavior 2005
, 5th International Conference on Methods and Techniques
in Behavioral Research, 30 August - 2 September 2005, Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
© 2005 Noldus
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