Behaviour of early-weaned calves in indoor individual cubicles and group pens

Authors: Mullord MM, Winfield CG, Kilgour R, Hudson SJ, Bremner KJ, de Langen H
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 23, Issue 6, pp 119-123, Jun 1975
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Animal welfare, Behaviour, Husbandry/husbandry procedures, Meat
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: Units have been designed to house calves for veal production, but only recently has a large intensive unit been designed to rear surplus dairy-bred calves for beef production in New Zealand. This was built by the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company, Edgecumbe, early in 1973 and consisted of two types of housing: a fully enclosed and insulated calf house with 500 individual cubicles in which to rear the animals till weaning at 5 weeks of age, and a “loafing barn” with slatted walls and sawdust floor to house calves for a further 5 weeks before sale as beef weaners. A number of housing studies, mainly overseas in climates more extreme than the Bay of Plenty in late winter, have examined patterns of behaviour and disease in intensive units…

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