In a natural setting, cows and nursing calves together set the feeding schedule for the calf, and calves wean gradually, completing weaning at varying ages. By contrast, in artificial rearing systems with minimal cow-calf contact, the weaning schedule may be strictly determined, with reductions of milk intake based solely on the calf’s age. But how well do different calves thrive under different feeding and weaning systems? The majority of research on calf personality and feeding behaviors has been performed with single-purpose dairy breeds, mainly Holsteins. In a new report published in the February 2022 issue of the Journal of Dairy Science, an international team of researchers turned their focus on the dual-purpose Norwegian Red, bred for both dairy and meat, to examine the influence of personality and weaning method on calves’ early feeding behavior and growth.
Click here for original story, Calf personality, feeding, and growth: When one style doesn’t fit all
Source: Phys.org