TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Individual Housing Design and Size on Special-Fed Holstein Veal Calf Growth Performance, Hematology, and Carcass Characteristics
AU - Terosky, T. L.
AU - Wilson, L. L.
AU - Stull, Carolyn
AU - Stricklin, W. R.
PY - 1997/1/1
Y1 - 1997/1/1
N2 - The objective was to evaluate the effects of individual housing design (stalls vs pens) with widths of 56, 66, and 76 cm (2 × 3 factorial treatment arrangement) on growth, hematology, cleanliness, ambulation, abomasal hairball, and carcass measurements. Three groups of 36 Holstein bull calves (n = 108) were randomly allotted within group to treatments. There were no effects (P > .05) of housing design, width, or two-way interactions for BW, ADG, carcass weight, or dressing percentage. Blood samples were collected at approximately 33-d intervals. Mean values for hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell count (WBC), and red blood cell count (RBC) were not different among treatments (P > .05), with the exception of d 28 hemoglobin, which was greater in the calves housed in 66-cm vs 76-cm stall. There were differences (P < .05) due to design and design × width effects for hind-quarter cleanliness; manure accumulation tended to be greater in pens vs stalls as width increased. There were increases (P < .05) in left front knee swelling scores as stall or pen size decreased; no important differences were observed in ambulatory ability among treatment groups. There were design effects (P < .05) for excitability scores, with calves in stalls being more excitable. There were no important treatment effects (P > .05) for liver, spleen, and lung condition, number of abomasal hairballs, or 0- and 24-h after slaughter flank or brisket color. These results indicate that housing designs and widths did not affect veal calf growth performance, WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, ambulation, or muscle color.
AB - The objective was to evaluate the effects of individual housing design (stalls vs pens) with widths of 56, 66, and 76 cm (2 × 3 factorial treatment arrangement) on growth, hematology, cleanliness, ambulation, abomasal hairball, and carcass measurements. Three groups of 36 Holstein bull calves (n = 108) were randomly allotted within group to treatments. There were no effects (P > .05) of housing design, width, or two-way interactions for BW, ADG, carcass weight, or dressing percentage. Blood samples were collected at approximately 33-d intervals. Mean values for hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell count (WBC), and red blood cell count (RBC) were not different among treatments (P > .05), with the exception of d 28 hemoglobin, which was greater in the calves housed in 66-cm vs 76-cm stall. There were differences (P < .05) due to design and design × width effects for hind-quarter cleanliness; manure accumulation tended to be greater in pens vs stalls as width increased. There were increases (P < .05) in left front knee swelling scores as stall or pen size decreased; no important differences were observed in ambulatory ability among treatment groups. There were design effects (P < .05) for excitability scores, with calves in stalls being more excitable. There were no important treatment effects (P > .05) for liver, spleen, and lung condition, number of abomasal hairballs, or 0- and 24-h after slaughter flank or brisket color. These results indicate that housing designs and widths did not affect veal calf growth performance, WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, ambulation, or muscle color.
KW - Calves
KW - Carcass Quality
KW - Growth Performance
KW - Housing
KW - Veal
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U2 - 10.2527/1997.7571697x
DO - 10.2527/1997.7571697x
M3 - Article
C2 - 9222823
AN - SCOPUS:0031179184
VL - 75
SP - 1697
EP - 1703
JO - Journal of Animal Science
JF - Journal of Animal Science
SN - 0021-8812
IS - 7
ER -