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Cited by 43Animal Behavior and Welfare StudiesAnimal health and immunologyMicrobial infections and disease research

Associations of Behavior-Based Measurements and Clinical Disease in Preweaned, Group-Housed Dairy Calves

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Cramer, M.C., Ollivett, T.L., Stanton, A.L.·2016·Journal of Dairy Science
DOI 10.3168/jds.2015-10207
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Abstract

Producers report bovine respiratory disease and neonatal calf diarrhea as the 2 most common diseases in preweaned calves, both of which can affect calf performance and welfare. Housing calves in groups during the preweaning period has increased in popularity and has the potential to improve calf welfare, but only if producers can detect and treat disease efficiently. A health-screening tool is needed that allows producers to identify suspect animals but minimize the time spent examining healthy animals. The objective of this study was to determine if disease in preweaned, group-housed dairy calves was associated with behavioral measures of illness. This cross-sectional study included the evaluation of preweaned, group-housed calves (n=206) on 4 farms in Wisconsin, United States. Farm visits included the scoring of key behaviors (abnormal posture when lying or standing, isolation from the group, lethargy, and 2 approach tests that tested the willingness of calves to approach a stationary person) that were hypothesized to be components of sickness behavior. Following the behavior scoring, calves underwent an individual health assessment for bovine respiratory disease, neonatal calf diarrhea, and umbilical infections. Each behavior category was scored as normal (0 points) or abnormal (1 point), and then categories were summed to obtain a total behavior score for each calf. Behavior scores ranged from 0 (normal) to 5 (severely abnormal). A total behavior score of 3 or greater was considered positive for disease. The outcome of a positive or negative test on the behavior score were analyzed using PROC LOGISTIC (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) and the model controlled for calf age and farm. Bovine respiratory disease was significantly associated with a behavior score of 3 or greater. The use of a behavior score shows promise as a screening tool for disease in preweaned calves.

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  • Currently, behavioral tests for BRD detection exhibit a sensitivity range of 23-68% and a specificity range of 43-95%.

    “Currently, behavioral tests for BRD detection exhibit a sensitivity range of 23–68% and a specificity range of 43–95% [87,88,89].”

    From Strategies for Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Comprehensive Overview (2024) · cites this paper as [87]

    The Results (page not supplied) report 48.4% sensitivity for the study’s behavior score in detecting severe BRD, and 24.7% of healthy calves tested positive. That supports a behavioral test with performance within the cited ranges, but the passages do not establish the full 23–68% sensitivity and 43–95% specificity ranges attributed collectively to three sources. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Although research has documented certain visual behavioral changes associated with BRD, the behavior of calves with subclinical BRD remains largely unexplored.

    “Although research has documented certain visual behavioral changes associated with BRD, the behavior of calves with subclinical BRD remains largely unexplored [87].”

    From Strategies for Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Comprehensive Overview (2024) · cites this paper as [87]

    The Introduction describes observable behavioral changes associated with illness and reports reduced approach behavior in calves with clinical signs of BRD. The Discussion says the study may not have identified calves with subclinical BRD, so it could not establish their behavior; it does not establish the broader claim that their behavior remains largely unexplored across research. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Incorporating behavioral indicators, such as time at the feeding bunk, along with periods of lying down and walking into a predictive model enhances the detection capabilities of farm personnel when systematic assessments are not available.

    “Incorporating behavioral indicators, such as time at the feeding bunk, along with periods of lying down and walking into a predictive model [247], enhances the detection capabilities of farm personnel when systematic assessments are not available [87].”

    From Strategies for Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Comprehensive Overview (2024) · cites this paper as [87]

    The Discussion reports that the behavior score was more sensitive than farm staff for detecting severe respiratory disease in calves (48.4% versus 29.0%). It says the score may improve detection where no systematic detection is in place, but does not establish the citing sentence’s unqualified claim that it enhances detection. The predictive model cited as [247] is not attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The assessments of lying behavior, vigor, and responses to stimuli may not have been sufficiently sensitive measures of health and vitality to discriminate between the dietary treatments.

    “The assessments of lying behavior, vigor, and responses to stimuli may not have been sufficiently sensitive measures of health and vitality to discriminate between the dietary treatments (Cramer et al., 2016).”

    From Relative merits of offering a milk replacer, glucose-electrolyte, or whey-based diet on the blood composition and health of unweaned calves after transport. (2024) · cites this paper as Cramer et al., 2016

    The Behavioral Observations section describes measures of lying posture, lethargy and responses to human approach. The Discussion says the resulting behavior score was not accurate for identifying mild respiratory disease and that behavior alone was insufficient to identify sick calves. The paper did not compare dietary treatments, so it does not establish whether these measures could discriminate between them; page numbers were unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Cramer, M. C., Ollivett, T. L., & Stanton, A. L.
Affiliations
University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
ORCID
Ollivett, T.L.
Venue
Journal of Dairy Science
Publisher
American Dairy Science Association
Published
2016-09
Volume
99
Issue
9
Pages
7434-7443
ISSN
0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3168/jds.2015-10207
OpenAlex
W2468881158
Cited by
43
References
33
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI
4.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Dairy Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (WIS01685)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal health and immunology
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Microbial infections and disease research
Keywords
preweaned dairy calves, group housing, sickness behavior, bovine respiratory disease, neonatal calf diarrhea, umbilical infection, health screening, calf welfare, approach behavior, lethargy
MeSH terms
Animals, Cattle, Cattle Diseases, Cross-Sectional Studies, Housing, Animal, Respiratory Tract Diseases, Wisconsin

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