Behaviour of early-weaned calves in indoor individual cubicles and group pens

Abstract

Extract

Units have been designed to house calves for veal production, but only recently has a large intensive unit been designed to rear surplus dairy-bred calves for beef production in New Zealand. This was built by the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company, Edgecumbe, early in 1973 and consisted of two types of housing: a fully enclosed and insulated calf house with 500 individual cubicles in which to rear the animals till weaning at 5 weeks of age, and a “loafing barn” with slatted walls and sawdust floor to house calves for a further 5 weeks before sale as beef weaners.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

C.G. Winfield

On leave from Department of Agriculture, Victoria, Australia.