Effects of freestall vs. bedded pack housing on growth performance, health status, and behavioral responses of weaned heifers

Abstract

This research evaluates the effect of two housing types, freestalls vs. bedded-pack, on growth performance, health scoring, and behavior of weaned heifers. Twenty-four heifers with no previous experience with freestalls (12 heifers/ treatment) were randomly assigned to the two treatments (freestalls vs. bedded-pack) at d 80 ± 3 of age. Heifers had free access to total mixed ration (TMR) and water throughout the experiment. The TMR intake and health score were recorded daily from d 80 to 110 of age. Body weight and skeletal growth of heifers were measured at the beginning (d 80) and the end (d110) of the experiment. Feeding behaviors were recorded for a period of 22 h and at the same time. Growth performance (ADG, structural growth, and final body weight), overall DMI, and health assessment (fecal score, general appearance, and rectal temperature) were similar between treatments. Behavioral patterns of eating, drinking, standing, lying, and rumination were also similar between treatments. However, in freestall-housed heifers, the proportion of time spent lying inside the stall increased by 8.1%, and time spent lying outside the stall decreased by 9.44% from the beginning to the end of the study (from 80 to 110 d). In summary, our results indicate that weaned heifers showed similar growth performance, behavior, and health when housed in freestall and bedded-pack housing. However, introducing weaned heifers to freestall housing at an early age will prepare them for using the facility.

Keywords: Behavior; Health; Heifers; Housing; Performance.