Assessment the Calf’s Welfare Due to The Gender, Number of Offspring and Calving Status in Holstein Calves

Abstract

The aim of the present paper was to study the influence of gender, number of offspring, calving status on both health and welfare. Out of 3000 heads, data for 429 Holstein female calves and 551 male calves which have been born during one year were used with computer records. The result suggested that abnormal behaviour during 1st 12 hours of calf's life have been significantly affected by twinning and dystocia .The presence and duration of behaviour related to respiratory, digestive or mixed disorders were significantly higher in females, the calf’s growth rate was higher in male than female with significance difference, while its birth weight was significantly higher in dystocia than calves from normal parturition. There was a non-significant effect of calf gender, number of offspring and parturition state on calves weaning age. It could be concluded that Calf gender, number of offspring and parturition state have a different effects on behaviour and growth performance of calves from birth till weaning. Abnormal behaviours during the first 12 hours of calf's life as delayed sternal recumbancy, standing, abnormal suckling have been significantly affected by twinning and dystocia and not significantly affected by calf sex. Presence and duration of behaviour related to respiratory, digestive or mixed disorders were significantly higher in females than males, where these disorders were significantly higher in case of dystocia and twinning births. Culling of cows with incidence of twinning is recommended to control the decreased fertility, decreased total number of calves over the lifespan of the cow, and decreased milk production.