A comparison of calf housing and feeding methods and its effect on calf welfare, growth and labour

Housing and feeding are integral to successful calf rearing, and must meet the calf ’s needs while remaining functional for the farmer. This study compared welfare (health and behaviour indicators), growth and labour requirements of calves housed indoors in groups, fed automatically (IN_AUTO) or manually (IN_MAN), and calves fed manually while housed outdoors in group (OUT_G_MAN) or individual (OUT_I_MAN) hutches. Seventy-six (49 Holstein-Friesian and 27 Holstein-Friesian × Jersey) heifer calves were balanced for birth weight (35.2±4.95 kg), birth date (1 February±7.2 days) and breed (38% of each group were Holstein-Friesian × Jersey). Calves were offered a milk allowance of 6-8 l/day, ad-libitum water, concentrates and hay from three days old. Calves were gradually weaned by eight-weeks. Biweekly health scoring, weekly weighing, behaviour and labour evaluations were carried out on calves. Calves generally scored healthy with no differences among systems. Standing was observed more and lying less often in the OUT_I_MAN calves (22.4% and 35.3%), compared to IN_AUTO (8.4% and 55.5%), IN_MAN (7.8% and 59.5%) and OUT_G_MAN calves (10.1 and 55.0%). Bodyweight was similar throughout the study, except at weaning, where bodyweight was lower for OUT_I_MAN (67.4±2.84 kg) compared to IN_MAN (74.2±2.01 kg); and day 102 where OUT_I_MAN (94.1±2.85 kg) were lighter than IN_AUTO (101.1±2.10 kg). Labour input was greatest for OUT_I_MAN and least for IN_AUTO (00:02:02 and 00:00:21 per calf/day). Health and growth were similar among systems. Differences in behaviour of the OUT_I_MAN compared to other systems may suggest compromised wellbeing. Additionally, although indoor housing, particularly those using automated feeders, may reduce farm labour, both outdoor group hutches and indoor housing do not appear to negatively impact calf welfare and growth.