The effect of a social facilitator cow on the distance walked and time spent walking by abruptly weaned beef calves
K. R. Nickles A , A. E. Relling A , L. E. Moraes B and A. J. Parker
A C
A Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio, 44691, USA.
B Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: parker.1203@osu.edu
Animal Production Science 61(6) 596-601 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN20434
Submitted: 28 July 2020 Accepted: 25 November 2020 Published: 23 December 2020
Abstract
Context: Separation of a calf from its dam at weaning can cause stress behaviours such as excessive walking and vocalising. These behaviours combined with poor dry matter and water intakes during weaning can cause bodyweight loss in calves. We questioned whether adding a social facilitator cow to pens of calves weaned on pasture would decrease calf walking behaviours and prevent a loss in bodyweight.
Aims: We tested the hypothesis that a social facilitator (SF) cow at weaning would reduce the walking behaviours of calves and increase calf bodyweight.
Methods: Eighty Simmental × Angus heifer calves were allocated to four replications. In each replication, 20 heifer calves were randomly assigned to either the SF (n = 10) treatment in which calves were abruptly weaned and placed on pasture with a SF cow on the day of weaning (day 0), or to the control (CON, n = 10) treatment in which calves were abruptly weaned and placed on pasture without a SF cow. All calves had their bodyweight recorded and were blood sampled on Days 0, 1, 7, and 14 for non-esterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate concentration. To quantify and evaluate walking behaviours, all calves were fitted with an individual global positioning system collar that recorded calf location every 10 s for a 24-h period on Days 0, 7, and 14.
Key results: There was no effect for time spent walking (P = 0.07) or distance walked (P = 0.08), although the SF calves spent numerically less time walking and walked shorter distances on the day of weaning compared with the CON calves. There were no differences observed for calf bodyweight or average daily gain.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the addition of a SF animal at weaning does not affect the distance walked on the day of weaning or the time calves devote to walking.
Implications: It is unlikely that a SF cow will decrease the distance and time spent walking by calves enough to improve calf bodyweight.
Keywords: allelomimetic behaviour, beef cattle, calf, dam, global positioning system, social bond, social facilitator animal, technology, vocalisation, walking, weaning.
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