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Cited by 21Animal health and immunologyAnimal Behavior and Welfare StudiesReproductive Physiology in Livestock

Factors associated with body weight of young surplus dairy calves on arrival to a calf rearing facility

Rot, C., Creutzinger, K., Goetz, H., Winder, C., Morrison, J., Conboy, M., Bajus, A., Renaud, D.L.·2022·Preventive Veterinary Medicine
DOI 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105630
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify factors present on the source dairy farm and during transport, that are associated with low body weight of young dairy calves at arrival to a calf rearing facility. A total of 195 surplus dairy calves from five farms in southern Ontario, Canada were examined from October 2020 to June 2021. Calves were continuously enrolled at birth on participating source dairy farms for three weeks until the day of transport and followed until arrival at the calf rearing facility. Calf sex, breed, calving difficulty, and birth weight were recorded at enrollment and blood samples were collected between 24 and 48 h after birth to determine serum total protein. From the day of birth through arrival at the calf rearing facility, each calf received a daily health examination which included a fecal consistency score, respiratory score, and navel score. On the day of transport, calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 transport treatments: 6 h, 12 h, or 16 h of continuous transportation by road. Age on the day of transport was recorded, and body weight was measured immediately before and after transportation. Two mixed linear regression models were built to determine the effect of these variables on body weight at arrival. The mean (± SD) birth weight, body weight before transport and body weight at arrival were 45 kg (± 6.9), 51 kg (± 6.6), and 47 kg (± 5.9), respectively, and age on the day of transport ranged from 1 to 22 d. Breed, birth weight, age at transport, body weight immediately before transport, and transport duration were associated with body weight at arrival. Holstein calves had greater body weights at arrival compared to Holstein-beef calves. Additionally, calves with greater birth weights and greater body weights immediately before transport had greater body weights at arrival. Calves over 5 d of age at transport had greater body weights at arrival compared to calves transported at 5 d of age or less. Calves transported for 6 h had a greater body weight at arrival compared to 12 h or 16 h, and those transported for 12 h had a greater body weight at arrival compared to 16 h. Future studies should evaluate approaches and policies to increase body weight of surplus dairy calves at arrival as it is consistently associated with improved health and productivity at calf rearing facilities.

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  • BW at arrival is determined by various factors including calf breed, health, BW at birth and prior to transport, feeding and management practices on the farm of origin, and transport conditions.

    “Naturally, higher BW correlates with older age, but BW at arrival is also determined by various other factors, including calf breed, health, BW at birth and prior to transport, which is dependent on feeding and management practices on the farm of origin, and the conditions of transport itself such as the season, temperature, duration, feeding protocols and fasting periods [8, 54].”

    From Effects of age and feeding protocols on the metabolic and physiological condition of unweaned calves during and after long-distance transport (2026) · cites this paper as [54]

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Authors
Rot, C., Creutzinger, K., Goetz, H., Winder, C., Morrison, J., Conboy, M., Bajus, A., & Renaud, D. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Guelph (CA)
  • University of Wisconsin–River Falls (US)
Corresponding author
Renaud, D.L.
ORCID
Venue
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-06
Volume
203
Pages
105630
ISSN
0167-5877 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105630
OpenAlex
W4220851178
Cited by
21
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2
FWCI
4.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Preventive Veterinary Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Dairy Farmers of Canada
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal health and immunology
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
Keywords
body weight, transport time, birth weight, Holstein, calf health, serum total protein
MeSH terms
Farms, Animals, Birth Weight, Body Weight, Cattle, Cattle Diseases, Ontario, Transportation

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