Milk- and starter-feeding strategies to reduce cross sucking in pair-housed calves in outdoor hutches

Social housing of preweaned calves can benefit their welfare, but and cross sucking are potential barriers to adoption for farmers. For farms using outdoor hutches, an option is pair adjacent hutches with a shared fence. Our objective was investigate milk- or starter-feeding strategies mitigate in this system. Holstein heifers were housed pairs (n = 32 pairs) divided into 4 treatments 8 each) 2 × factorial design: milk open bucket starter only (OB-SB), both specialized teat bottle (Braden bottle; OB-BB), slow-flow (TB-SB), (TB-BB). When first offered (d 6 ± 1 life, mean SD), calf latency approach recorded, averaged within pairs, compared between linear mixed model fixed effect treatment random treatment. Calves initially fed; began on d 14 life ended when completely weaned 53 1). observed behaviors such as drinking twice weekly 30 min during the afternoon meal continuous video, values pairs. Linear models run separately before (wk 3–6) after 7–8) weaning, effects treatments, week, 2- 3-way interactions, week repeated measure subject. Pairs Braden bottles buckets approached sooner than those vs. no bottles: 13.1 6.1 33.2 min, LSM SEM). Before sucked at least long (OB-SB: 2.9 0.3 min) all other (OB-BB: 1.5 min; TB-SB: 0.4 TB-BB: 0.5 min). This pattern held increased overall 3.9 OB-BB: 1.8 0.9 1.6 Regardless treatment, spent less time fed buckets, which extended relative (teat bucket: preweaning 7.0 0.2 weaning 3.0 0.1 0.6 novel reducing provide through bottle. Nonetheless, providing had greatest by directing suckling instead another pen objects.