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Cited by 12Animal Behavior and Welfare StudiesAnimal health and immunologyReproductive Physiology in Livestock

A preliminary study on the feasibility of two different cow-calf contact systems in a pasture-based, seasonal calving dairy system: Effects on cow production and health

Open access
McPherson, S.E., Webb, L.E., Murphy, J.P., Sinnott, A.M., Sugrue, K., Bokkers, E.A.M., Kennedy, E.·2024·animal
DOI 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101222
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Abstract

Internationally, consumer dissatisfaction with cow-calf separation at birth has led to increased interest in alternative calf-rearing methods, specifically cow-calf contact (CCC) systems. The objectives of this preliminary study were to estimate whether CCC could be incorporated into an Irish spring-calving, pasture-based system, and to investigate the effects on cow milk production and health. Three systems were compared: the conventional Irish system (CONV;18 cows), cow and calf were separated < 1 h postbirth, cows were pasture-based and milked twice-a-day; a full-time access system (FT;14 cows), cow and calf were allowed constant, unrestricted access, were pasture-based, and cows were milked twice-a-day; and a part-time access system (PT;18 cows), cow and calf had unrestricted access when indoors at night, cows grazed outdoors by day while calves remained indoors, and cows were milked once-a-day in the morning. Cows were blocked and balanced across the three systems by previous lactation machine milk yield (MMY), BW, and body condition score (BCS). Following an 8-week CCC period, all calves were weaned (FT and PT underwent a 7-d gradual weaning and separation process) and all cows were milked twice-a-day. Cow MMY was recorded daily and milk composition was recorded weekly; milk data were analysed from weeks 1 to 8 (CCC period), weeks 9 to 35 (post-CCC period), and weeks 1 to 35 (cumulative lactation). Cow BW and BCS were taken weekly for weeks 1-12, and at the end of the lactation. During the CCC period, all systems differed (P < 0.001) in MMY (mean ± SEM; 24.0, 13.6, and 10.3 ± 0.50 kg/d for CONV, FT, and PT cows, respectively). After the CCC period, CONV MMY (20.2 ± 0.48 kg/d) remained higher (P < 0.001) than the FT (16.6 kg/d) and PT cows (15.7 kg/d). The FT and PT cows yielded 24 and 31% less in cumulative lactation MMY and 26 and 35% less in cumulative lactation milk solids yield, respectively, compared to CONV (5 072 ± 97.0 kg and 450 ± 8.7 kg). During the CCC period, somatic cell score was higher (P = 0.030) in PT cows (5.15 ± 0.118) compared to FT cows (4.70 ± 0.118), while CONV (4.94 ± 0.118) were inconclusive to both. The PT cows (523 ± 4.9 and 520 ± 6.8 kg) were heavier than the CONV (474 ± 4.9 and 479 ± 6.8 kg) and FT (488 ± 4.9 and 487 ± 6.8 kg) cows at week 4 and week 8 (both P < 0.001). The PT cows had higher BCS than CONV and FT at all observed times. This preliminary research suggests that although CCC was incorporated without impacting cow health, the two CCC systems investigated negatively affected cow production.

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  • The amount of milk replacer provided in early fattening is less than what a calf would normally drink from its mother (3-4 L per day vs. >10 L per day).

    “the amount of MR provided is less than what a calf would normally drink from its mother (3–4 L per day vs. >10 L per day, McPherson et al., 2024).”

    From Effects of pre- and post-transport feeding protocols on the metabolism and physiological status of veal calves. (2025) · cites this paper as McPherson et al., 2024

    The Discussion (p. 10) estimates a calf’s dietary requirement and says calf milk intake was not directly established from the differences in machine milk yield. Our copy does not give a 3–4 L/day milk-replacer allowance or establish that calves normally drink more than 10 L/day from their mothers (searched: milk replacer, daily calf milk intake, conventional calf feeding). (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. National Research Council (NRC), 2021. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, Eighth ed. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, USA.

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Authors
McPherson, S. E., Webb, L. E., Murphy, J. P., Sinnott, A. M., Sugrue, K., Bokkers, E. A. M., & Kennedy, E.
Affiliations
  • Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (IE)
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Corresponding author
Kennedy, E.
ORCID
Venue
animal
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2024-08
Volume
18
Issue
8
Pages
101222
ISSN
1751-7311 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.animal.2024.101222
OpenAlex
W4399873383
Cited by
12
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 4
FWCI
6.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • animal (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Science Foundation Ireland (16/RC/3835)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal health and immunology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
Keywords
cow-calf contact, calf rearing, pasture-based dairy systems, milk yield, milk composition, cow body weight, cattle health, calf weaning, dairy cattle welfare, seasonal calving, somatic cell count, milk fat, milk protein, milk urea nitrogen
MeSH terms
Animals, Animal Husbandry, Cattle, Dairying, Feasibility Studies, Female, Ireland, Lactation, Milk, Seasons, Weaning

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