Automated measurement of changes in feeding behavior of milk-fed calves associated with illness

There is a need for improved methods of detecting illness among group-housed milk-fed calves. In 4 separate experiments, we examined whether illness in group-housed dairy calves fed with an automated milk feeder changed their feeding behavior, and whether these changes were affected by low (n = 26) or high (n = 38) milk rations. All calves were subjected to regular health checks that included general condition, rectal temperature, lung auscultation, and fecal scoring. We match paired calves that succumbed to illness with healthy calves on the same feeding allowance. In the days following clinically identified illness (gastroenteric or respiratory affections), sick calves fed high allowances of milk or milk replacer decreased milk intake (−2.59 ± 0.7 L/d) and frequency of visits to the milk feeder (−2.43 ± 0.3 visits/d), and increased the duration of each visit to the milk feeder (1.66 ± 0.5 min/visit) compared with healthy calves fed at the same allowance. However, sick calves fed a low allowance of milk or milk replacer only decreased the duration of each visit to the milk feeder (−1.35 ± 0.2 min/visit) compared with healthy calves. Feed allowance affected feeding behavior associated with illness of milk fed calves.