Fostering calves by odor transfer

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if fostering beef calves could be facilitated by transferring odor from own to alien young via cloth jackets. Shortly after parturition, cloth stockinettes were placed on the natural calves of 22 primiparous cows. At 48–96 h post-partum, alien calves were substituted for own calves. The jacket of the mother's own calf was placed on the alien calf in 10 attempts at fostering and the alien calf retained its own jacket (control treatment) in 12 attempts. Acceptance tests were conducted at the initiation of fostering and once daily for 4 consecutive days (5 tests). The criterion for adopting alien young was met on the third test (48 h after fostering) by 9 of the 10 cows in the experimental treatment and only 1 of the 12 cows in the control treatment ( P<0.005). All of the experimental mothers and 6 of the 12 control cows met the criterion for adoption by the end of the 4-day test period ( P<0.025). Four additional control females accepted alien calves after the 4-day test period. Odor transfer appears to be an inexpensive, rapid and safe technique to facilitate the maternal acceptance of alien calves by postpartum beef cows.