Association between gastrointestinal tract, claw disorders, on-farm mortality and feeding management in veal calves
Open Access
- 28 December 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Italian Journal of Animal Science
- Vol. 20 (1), 6-13
- https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051x.2020.1863868
Abstract
This study analysed potential associations between the prevalence of rumen, abomasum, liver, and claw disorders detected in 26 batches of Holstein veal calves through a post-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse, and on-farm mortality and feeding management data. Organs of 15–16 calves per batch (16.5 rumens, 15.9 abomasa, 15.1 livers, and 31.1 claws) were inspected by 3 veterinarians in the slaughter-line. ‘Batch’ refers to group of calves belonging to the same farm and slaughter group. Hyperkeratosis and plaques were detected in over 60% of rumens per batch, and some cases, in all rumens. More than 85% of abomasa showed ulcerations. Sole haemorrhages were detected in 64 to 97% of claws. During fattening, calves received on average 312 kg of milk-replacer (MR) and 162 kg of solid feed (SF), composed mainly of corn grain (85–93% as-fed basis). Rumens with hyperkeratosis were positively correlated to the percentage of corn grain. Abomasa with large-sized-lesions in the pyloric area were positively correlated to the SF amount. Ulcerated abomasa were positively correlated to calves’ mortality reported by farmers. Cluster analysis identified 3 feeding plans. The first, based on MR administration and moderate SF amount, produced lighter carcasses and low-developed rumens, but reduced the prevalence of rumen hyperkeratosis and sole haemorrhages; the other two, more ‘aggressive’ by increasing the amount of SF or both SF and MR, produced heavier carcasses but worsened rumen and claw conditions. This study suggests the existence of different feeding practices used by veal producers that should be reviewed to improve calves’ welfare.Keywords
Funding Information
- University of Padova (CPDA158107)
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Claw disorders in dairy cattle: Effects on production, welfare and farm economics with possible prevention methodsLivestock Science, 2019
- Multivariate and machine learning approaches for honey botanical origin authentication using near infrared spectroscopyJournal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy, 2019
- Effects of solid feed level and roughage-to-concentrate ratio on ruminal drinking and passage kinetics of milk replacer, concentrates, and roughage in veal calvesJournal of Dairy Science, 2015
- Utilization of roughages and concentrates relative to that of milk replacer increases strongly with age in veal calvesJournal of Dairy Science, 2014
- Effects of early rumen development and solid feed composition on growth performance and abomasal health in veal calvesJournal of Dairy Science, 2012
- Risk factors for death and unwanted early slaughter in Swiss veal calves kept at a specific animal welfare standardResearch in Veterinary Science, 2012
- Effects of the two production programs ‘Naturafarm’ and ‘conventional’ on the prevalence of non-perforating abomasal lesions in Swiss veal calves at slaughterResearch in Veterinary Science, 2010
- Metabolic characterization of rumen epithelial tissue from dairy calves fed different starter diets using 1H NMR spectroscopyLivestock Science, 2009
- Effect of Feeding Frequency and Route of Administration on Abomasal Luminal pH in Dairy Calves Fed Milk ReplacerJournal of Dairy Science, 2002
- Blödnιngar i sulhornet som ιndιkation på fång hos förstakalvande kvigor under perιoden kring kalvning: inverkan av utfodrιng, båsplatsunderlag och kalvningssäsongActa Veterinaria Scandinavica, 1996