Associations between milk intake and activity in the first days of a calf’s life and later growth and health
We examined whether calves’ milk intake and activity in the days after birth predict later growth and the risk of illness. Female Holstein calves (n = 130) were housed in individual pens where they were allowed ad libitum milk from birth to 5 days of age. Daily milk intakes were recorded and accelerometers attached to […]
The sucking behaviour and milk intake of one- to three-week-old triplet lambs during natural and competitive suckling situations
Within triplet litters, light-born lambs are at greater risk of dying than heavier lambs in the first week of life. However, the implications of within-litter differences in sucking behaviour for milk intake and growth beyond the first week are unclear. We hypothesized that within litter, triplets born lightest would still be lightest at one to […]