Social interactions and induced behavioural reactions in milk-fed female calves

This study had two purposes. In the first part we observed the feeding rhythms and behaviour, and the relationships between different physical parameters and behaviour, of Friesian calves reared in groups and fed milk substitute powder from a single automatic feeding machine. In the second part, calves of two different breeds (Friesian and Ottonese), reared and fed in the same way as those of the first part of the study, were compared individually at 2 and 3 months of age in an open-field test. The results indicate that there are both bi-directional and uni-directional encounters when the animals are young, and it is not possible to detect any precise dominance hierarchy. We were able to detect correlations between levels of activity, dominance values, physical traits and feeding behaviour. In the open-field test, the two breeds reacted differently, indicating that there may be differences in their capacity for adaptation.