Effects of Different Factors on Dairy Calves Behaviour

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to study the effects of age, sex, and father on behaviour of calves. The study included 40 dairy calves kept in group housing. Maintenance behaviours were conducted at the age of 90, 130 and 170 days. The social behaviour was determined during 1 h feeding on access to limited amounts of feed during three consecutive days in 155th day of the age. Maintenance activities were significantly increasing with the age. Calves spent lying on the left side and ruminating while lying on the left side longer time. The most periods of total lying, lying on the left side, and lying on the right side were found at the age of 130 days. Period number was increasing within ages in ruminating while on the left and right sides, ruminating while lying, and total ruminating. Father lineage was significantly manifested in times of total standing, total eating, number eating and lying periods. No significant differences were found between males and females behaviour, and among fathers in social index.

Keywords

• age
• behaviour
• calf
• father
• sex
• welfare