Publication Database

Health monitoring of preweaned dairy calves regarding transfer of passive immunity, activity changes and ambient temperature preferences (2025)

Art

Hochschulschrift

Autor

Sonntag, Nomi Charlotte (WE 18)

Quelle

Berlin, 2025 — 93 Seiten

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/50451

Kontakt

Nutztierklinik

Königsweg 65
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62261
klauentierklinik@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

The overall objectives of this thesis were (1) to evaluate different methods of serum collection for the detection of FTPI via refractometry in neonatal calves, (2) to evaluate a pyroelectric infrared monitoring system assessing movement of preweaned calves, and (3) to assess temperature preferences for heated calf hutches during winter in newborn dairy calves. The on-farm monitoring of FTPI to optimize colostrum management is an integral part of heifer rearing. Therefore, the objective of the first study was to compare 4 different methods of serum collection to assess failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) in dairy calves. We hypothesized that centrifuged serum, filtered serum and clotted serum at room temperature, and clotted serum at refrigerator temperature measured with Brix refractometry would highly correlate with IgG concentration assessed by radial immunodiffusion (RID; gold standard) in centrifuged serum. Blood samples were collected from 321 newborn dairy calves. In centrifuged serum, serum clotted at room temperature, serum clotted at refrigerator temperature, and filtered serum, total solids (TS) in % Brix, and IgG concentrations measured with RID were highly correlated. Regarding the refractometry results among the different serum types, the TS of clotted and filtered serum showed high correlation coefficients compared with the TS results of centrifuged serum. Filtered serum was slightly less accurate. All serum types are valid methods to detect an FTPI in dairy calves, if the specific Brix thresholds for each serum type are considered. Nevertheless, serum clotted at refrigerator temperature should not be the preferred method to avoid the risk of hemolysis. Sensor technology is becoming more and more popular in calf rearing, and could provide important information about health and performance in the future. The objective of this study was to correlate movement assessed by a pyroelectric infrared sensor system (IMS) in preweaned dairy calves with lying and standing time assessed by a 3D accelerometer considering the temperature-humidity index (THI). A total of 35 dairy calves (1–7 d of age) were enrolled in the study and 20 calves were included in the final analyses. Number of movements per hour measured by the IMS was compared with data obtained with a validated 3D accelerometer. The Pearson correlation coefficient between both standing and lying time and the number of movements was r = 0.85 and r = −0.85, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficients were only slightly influenced by THI. Our data show that the number of movements of dairy calves measured by IMS were highly correlated with the chosen gold standard reference method. High THI slightly affects the measurement accuracy of IMS. Newborn calves face challenges adapting from the warm uterine environment to cold ambient temperatures, often experiencing cold stress. Therefore, the objective of the third study was to assess the preferred inside hutch temperature of dairy calves in their first week after birth during Central European winter and to compare lying behavior in heated and non-heated hutches. Calves spent 90% of their time inside a hutch, irrespective of the number of heat lamps switched on. No preference for a specific inside hutch temperature existed. There was, however, a tendency for the location of the hutches closest to the control calf. Lying behavior did not differ between preference and control phase, but decreased marginally with increasing age. These findings could indicate that there is a need of shelter for calves in winter, but without a preference for a certain inside hutch temperature under the prevailing conditions of deep straw bedding, highly sufficient milk supply and an ambient temperature of 5.4 ± 3.3°C. Overall, the results of this thesis show that (1) there are different valuable methods to harvest serum for the detection of FTPI in newborn dairy calves, even without centrifugation, (2) there is a high correlation between the assessment of movement with an IMS and the lying and standing times assessed with a 3D accelerometer data logger, and (3) there is no preference for a certain inside hutch temperature in mild winters, but a preference for social contact. All three studies provide results that can contribute to concrete decision-making and practical application for good calf health monitoring