Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate if a foster cow establishes a stronger bond to a specific calf among four alien calves in a group. Establishing a stronger bond to one calf in a group may affect other calves and become detrimental and lead to poor well-being. The predictions for establishing a stronger bond between foster cow and calf is when the calf receives most affiliative and least agonistic behaviour; as well as keeps most social contact with the foster cow; and stays in the vicinity of the foster cow most often; as well as being allowed to suckle. The investigation was performed on 11 cows and 43 calves; 5 cows and 15 calves of Swedish Red Breed (SRB), and 6 cows and 28 calves of Swedish Holstein (SH). The foster cows were kept individually in pens with four alien calves, which were around one week old when placed with the foster cow. When the calves had been together nine weeks the foster cows and calves were video filmed for 12 hours (8.00-20.00), and the social behaviour of the foster cows and calves was observed from the video film. The distance between the calf and the foster cow was recorded at ten minutes intervals, and the number of the foster cow’s licking, threatening, pushing, butting and brutal butting, as well as the calf suckling the foster cow was continuously recorded. In addition the calf’s number of approaching, sniffing, licking and rubbing the foster cow was continuously recorded. From the direct observation the foster cow’s number of times the foster cow was sniffing the calves was recorded. An index of all the measurements was created in order to test the hypothesis. Also Chi Square Distribution Test and Spearman Rank Correlation Test were used. The present study showed that a stronger bond was established between a foster cow and only one calf in each of six groups; in two groups the foster cows had established a stronger bond to two calves; and three groups were more equal, without a clear preference towards any calves. A negative correlation between foster cows performing agonistic behaviour towards calves and foster cows licking calves was found (p = 0,014). A positive correlation between calves being social with the foster cows and foster cows licking calves was found (p = 0,001). A negative correlation between calves being social with the foster cows and foster cows threatening calves was found (p = 0,014). A negative correlation between calves being distant the foster cows and calves being close to the foster cows was found (p = 0,023). The calves did not spend an equal amount of time close to the foster cows, and the hypothesis was rejected in 8 out of 11 groups. However, there was a positive correlation between foster cows threatening calves and calves suckling the foster cows (p = 0,048). It was concluded that foster cows varied in the maternal bonding to individual calves and some foster cows established a stronger bond to one calf, than to the other calves in their groups

Keywords

dairy cow; maternal behaviour; foster cow; social behaviour

Published in

Master Thesis in Animal Science
2005,
Publisher: SLU och KVL

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science
Veterinary Science

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/8781