Do calves hide after birth? Postpartum behavior of dairy calves and their dams housed in individual calving pens

Abstract

Under near-natural conditions, domesticated dairy calves hide the first days after birth before cow and calf join the herd. In commercial dairy production, an opportunity to seclude from the herd after parturition is rarely given. This study aimed to investigate the effect of providing a covered area in an individual calving pen on maternal and neonatal calf behavior. Forty-six cow-calf pairs were housed in either an individual uncovered calving pen with 4 open sides or an individual partially covered calving pen with 3 covered sides, providing a secluded area for the cow and calf. Calf position in the pen, maternal behavior, and proximity between the cow and calf were recorded for the first 72 h after birth using instantaneous sampling at 5-min intervals. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effect models. The duration of maternal sniffing and licking, the duration of time the cow spent standing with her head over the calf, and the time spent in close proximity to the calf were higher during the first 24 h after birth compared with later days, reflecting intense maternal behavior during this early period. Calves did not show a preference for staying in the covered side of the pen. Calves in covered pens received more maternal sniffing and licking, indicating that the provision of cover postpartum facilitated maternal behavior and the formation of the maternal-filial bond the first few days after birth.