In addition to needs such as food, water, shelter, and medical care, social contact is an important aspect of welfare for animals, just as it is for humans. Yet early socialization of dairy calves is sometimes given lesser priority in the interest of physical health, with young calves housed individually to prevent the spread of contagious diseases such as those that cause diarrhea, or scours, a major source of calf mortality. In a new study appearing in the Journal of Dairy Science, scientists from the University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences investigated whether this individually housed tactic is justified and what unintended consequences it may have.
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Source: Phys.org