Effects of Providing Water from a Bucket or a Nipple on the Performance and Behavior of Calves Fed Ad Libitum Volumes of Acidified Milk Replacer
| Autor: | Hannu Saloniemi, Helena Hepola, Laura Hänninen, Satu Raussi, Pirjo Pursiainen, Anna-Maija Aarnikoivu |
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| Rok vydání: | 2008 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Time Factors Animal feed Water source Drinking Weaning Biology Water consumption Feeding Methods Eating 03 medical and health sciences Animal science Genetics Animals Food science Water intake 030304 developmental biology Food Formulated 2. Zero hunger 0303 health sciences Water delivery Body Weight 0402 animal and dairy science Water 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences Animal Feed 040201 dairy & animal science 6. Clean water Milk Animals Newborn Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena Cattle Female Animal Science and Zoology Drinking bout Vocalization Animal Feeding Regimen Food Science |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Dairy Science. 91:1486-1496 |
| ISSN: | 0022-0302 |
| DOI: | 10.3168/jds.2007-0500 |
| Popis: | Little information is available on how much water ad libitum milk-fed calves consume during the milk-feeding stage and during weaning to solid feed. Further, no information exists on the effects on calf behavior and performance of different water delivery systems during these stages. Therefore, the objectives of this study were first, to examine the water intake of calves fed acidified milk replacer ad libitum during the milk-feeding and weaning stages, and second, to determine whether the method of water delivery affected water and feed intake and growth during these periods or oral behavior during weaning. To evaluate this, we registered feed and water intake, growth, and oral behaviors of 24 dairy calves before and after abrupt weaning from a 7-wk ad libitum acidified milk replacer feeding regimen. Two water sources (open bucket and nipple) were compared. During the 7-wk milk-feeding period, the calves drank, on average, 12.9 +/- 0.7 L/d of acidified milk replacer but very little water. However, after abrupt removal of milk, the 2-mo-old calves rapidly increased their water intake. Moreover, no differences in water intake between the 2 water sources were noted either before or after abrupt weaning. Calves were observed to have some difficulties in using the water nipple. Calves provided water through the nipples consumed less water at each drinking bout but visited the water nipple more frequently compared with calves provided access to water from the bucket. We observed no differences in all other behaviors observed. Overall, the calves rapidly increased their feed intake, rumination time, frequency of cross-sucking, and vocalization after weaning. In conclusion, despite the calves' consuming very little water when provided ad libitum access to acidified milk replacer, they dramatically increased their water consumption after abrupt weaning from milk. Calves did experience some difficulties in using the water nipples. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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