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Computerised machine rearing systems for group housed dairy-bred bull calves

Experiment to evaluate the effect of reading dairy-bred bull calves on a computerised machine.

Year of Publication2008

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of rearing dairy-bred bull calves on either a computerised machine or twice a day milk feeding system to weaning at 6 weeks old. There were significant differences in behaviour between the two treatments with the machine reared calves recording significantly higher incidence of body part sucking, play and feeding. The bucket reared calves recorded significantly higher incidence of looking and restlessness compared to the machine reared calves. This might suggest that the machine reared calves were ’more content’. Labour inputs were reduced by 53% with the machine reared calves.

This item is categorised as follows

• Subject Collection > Livestock & dairy > Animal health & welfare
• Subject Collection > Livestock & dairy > Beef production

Additional keywords/tags

machine rearingdairy bred calvesbull calves