Effect of nutrition and tactile stimulation on performance, welfare and behavior of Gyr calves

• Grant number: 22/12148-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Ecology of Domestic Animals and Ethology
• Principal Investigator: Lenira El Faro Zadra
• Grantee: Karolini Tenffen de Sousa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Zootecnia. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Nova Odessa , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/50339-5 - Institutional research development plan of the Animal Science Institute (PDIp), AP.PDIP
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/00301-2 - Effect of tactile stimulation on the preference and usage of physical enrichment by crossbreed dairy calves, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate different nutritional management (conventional feed management and supplementary to conventional feed management) and welfare (conventional management and management with tactile stimulation) on behavior, performance, growth traits and well-being in Gyr calves up to 90 days of age. All animals are from IVF, belonging to Epamig, Uberaba/MG. Four treatments will be carried out and the experimental design will be in randomized blocks, by calving order of the cow, birth weight and sex of calves, in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Two feeding managements will be tested (conventional (CM) and optimized (MO)) and two welfare managements (with (BC) and without tactile stimulation (BO)). Conventional feeding management (MC) is recommended and used by farmers (one teat/milking, in two milkings, from birth to 90 days of age) and optimized management (OM), which will offer calves an additional 4L of milk up to 60 days of life and 2L of milk from 61 to 90 days of life, when the calves will be weaned, although they continue to attend the milking room until their mothers dry. The calves in the optimized animal welfare (BO) treatment will receive tactile stimulation (brushing) from birth until 60 days of life, during milking management (morning and afternoon), from 30 seconds to one minute. In conventional welfare management (BC), the calves will attend the milking parlor, but without receiving tactile stimulation. During the experimental period parameters will be recorded in calves, such as performance parameters, behavior, blood parameters (total protein, urea, lactate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, triglycerides, blood count, cortisol and oxytocin), gene expression in leukocytes (cortisol, oxytocin, serotonin and growth hormones), ruminal fluid parameters (volatile fatty acids, ammonia nitrogen and pH), disease incidences. The economic analysis will be carried out for each experimental treatment and will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative management systems. It is expected with this project to evaluate the needs of Gyr breed calves at a stage, in general, neglected but no less important, since this will reflect on the advanced ages of their development. (AU)