Changes in the alimentary behavior and feed intake of Japanese black calves during the suckling period
1997
Sekine, J. (Tottori Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture) | Kamel, H.E.D.M. | Jin, H. | Hosokawa, M. | Oura, R. | Hishinuma, M.
The alimentary behavior and solid feed intake of suckling calves were determined using 11 cow-calf pairs Japanese Black cattle to study the possibility of shortening the sucking period. Twenty-four hour observations were carried out for calves at the ages of 10, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days using a video-recording system. The suckling, water drinking and solid feed eating behaviors of calve were analyzed. Feed intake and behavioral observation were determined on separate days. The time spent for suckling significantly decreased at 90 days of age, and was fairly consistent thereafter. The time spent for solid feed eating rapidly increased from 10 to 90 days of age and showed no appreciable change thereafter. Mean time spent for water drinking showed no significant change up to 180 days of age. Mean dry-matter intake of a calf reached to a constant level of 2.5 kg/100 kg of live weight per day at 90 days of age when the time spent for solid feed eating was about 170 min per day. Results in the present study suggest that calves could be weaned at 90 days of age, although application of this information to practice requires consideration of many problems to be solved
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