Newborn dairy calves face significant challenges during winter as they transition from the warmth of the womb to colder external temperatures. Cold stress can negatively impact their health, growth, and overall wellbeing. A recent study investigated whether providing heated hutches improves calf comfort and behavior during their first week of life in a Central European winter.
Researchers assessed the calves’ preference for hutch temperatures and compared lying behavior in heated and non-heated environments. The study involved 16 pairs of calves, each monitored for their location and behavior using time-lapse cameras and accelerometer data loggers. Heat lamps raised the hutch temperature incrementally by 2.6 ± 1.0°C for each additional lamp used.
Key Findings
- No Preference for Heated Hutches: Calves spent 90% of their time inside a hutch, regardless of temperature, suggesting no strong preference for heated environments under the study’s conditions.
- Behavioral Consistency: Lying behavior—an indicator of comfort—did not significantly differ between calves in heated and non-heated hutches. However, lying times decreased slightly as the calves aged.
- Adequate Shelter Matters: The results underscore the importance of providing shelter during winter. Deep straw bedding, sufficient milk supply, and ambient temperatures of 5.4 ± 3.3°C appeared sufficient to mitigate cold stress.
Importance of Mitigating Cold Stress
Cold stress in calves can lead to respiratory diseases, decreased growth rates, and higher mortality risks. Management strategies, such as deep bedding, calf jackets, and increased feed, are commonly used to protect calves from hypothermia. While heat lamps are less common in healthy calves older than 24 hours, they remain crucial in other livestock industries, such as swine and poultry production.
For more insights into the study and its implications, read the full article here.
