By Anderson, H. F. and Foldager, J. and Klastrup, S. and Krohn, C. C. and Munksgaard, L., Beretning fra Statens Husdyrbrugsforsog, 1991
Description
72 Danish Black Pied calves at an av. age of 42 days were divided into 3 equal groups and kept in tied stalls 125 cm wide (group 1), in loose boxes with fully slatted floors (group 2) or deep bedding (group 3). The loose boxes had 6 animals per box, with a floor space of 1.8 m2 per animal. Half the animals in each group were fed mainly on concentrates (treatment 1) and the other half on concentrates + whole crop barley silage (treatment 2). The animals were slaughtered at an av. live weight of 450 kg. For the 3 housing groups, initial weight averaged 77, 80 and 80 kg resp., weight at slaughter 450, 454 and 448 kg, daily gain 1378, 1214 and 1199 g, daily carcass gain 719, 650 and 634 g, dry matter intake 5.76, 5.76 and 5.60 kg per day, and food conversion efficiency (Scandinavian FU per kg gain) 4.23, 4.75 and 4.74. The body weight and av. daily gain of tied bulls were significantly higher than those of bulls in boxes; the differences between bulls in the 2 types of boxes were not significant. For carcass characters, significant differences between tied bulls and those in boxes were observed for dressing percentage (51.7 for tied bulls vs. 52.4-52.8 for those in boxes), area of longissimus dorsi muscle (53.9 vs. 58.7-60.3 cm2) and fat trim (6.8 vs. 5.8-5.9%). The number of bulls affected with foot rot was 0, 12 and 5 in the 3 groups, and the number affected with liver abscesses 0, 7 and 6. For the nutritional treatments, significant differences were observed for av. daily gain (1330 and 1197 g for treatments 1 and 2 resp.), daily carcass gain (710 and 625 g), dressing percentage (52.8 and 51.9), fatness classification score (3.2 and 2.8) and fat thickness (4.9 and 3.8 mm). Tied bulls had more difficulty in getting up or lying down than those on deep bedding, and they also spent more time with the head resting on the bedding or ground than on the body. The frequency of licking/chewing of equipment was also higher for bulls in tied stalls than in boxes. For bulls in boxes, movements were less for animals on slatted floors than on deep bedding, and the frequency of chasing and attempts to mount was also lower for slatted floors. Bulls on slatted floors had more hoof afflictions, but those on deep bedding had less hoof wear and tear, and therefore required more frequent hoof trimming
72 Danish Black Pied calves at an av. age of 42 days were divided into 3 equal groups and kept in tied stalls 125 cm wide (group 1), in loose boxes with fully slatted floors (group 2) or deep bedding (group 3). The loose boxes had 6 animals per box, with a floor space of 1.8 m2 per animal. Half the animals in each group were fed mainly on concentrates (treatment 1) and the other half on concentrates + whole crop barley silage (treatment 2). The animals were slaughtered at an av. live weight of 450 kg. For the 3 housing groups, initial weight averaged 77, 80 and 80 kg resp., weight at slaughter 450, 454 and 448 kg, daily gain 1378, 1214 and 1199 g, daily carcass gain 719, 650 and 634 g, dry matter intake 5.76, 5.76 and 5.60 kg per day, and food conversion efficiency (Scandinavian FU per kg gain) 4.23, 4.75 and 4.74. The body weight and av. daily gain of tied bulls were significantly higher than those of bulls in boxes; the differences between bulls in the 2 types of boxes were not significant. For carcass characters, significant differences between tied bulls and those in boxes were observed for dressing percentage (51.7 for tied bulls vs. 52.4-52.8 for those in boxes), area of longissimus dorsi muscle (53.9 vs. 58.7-60.3 cm2) and fat trim (6.8 vs. 5.8-5.9%). The number of bulls affected with foot rot was 0, 12 and 5 in the 3 groups, and the number affected with liver abscesses 0, 7 and 6. For the nutritional treatments, significant differences were observed for av. daily gain (1330 and 1197 g for treatments 1 and 2 resp.), daily carcass gain (710 and 625 g), dressing percentage (52.8 and 51.9), fatness classification score (3.2 and 2.8) and fat thickness (4.9 and 3.8 mm). Tied bulls had more difficulty in getting up or lying down than those on deep bedding, and they also spent more time with the head resting on the bedding or ground than on the body. The frequency of licking/chewing of equipment was also higher for bulls in tied stalls than in boxes. For bulls in boxes, movements were less for animals on slatted floors than on deep bedding, and the frequency of chasing and attempts to mount was also lower for slatted floors. Bulls on slatted floors had more hoof afflictions, but those on deep bedding had less hoof wear and tear, and therefore required more frequent hoof trimming
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