Effects of individual housing design and size on special-fed Holstein veal calf growth performance, hematology, and carcass characteristics.

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the effects of individual housing design (stalls vs pens) with widths of 56, 66, and 76 cm (2 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement) on growth, hematology, cleanliness, ambulation, abomasal hairball, and carcass measurements. Three groups of 36 Holstein bull calves (n = 108) were randomly allotted within group to treatments. There were no effects (P > .05) of housing design, width, or two-way interactions for BW, ADG, carcass weight, or dressing percentage. Blood samples were collected at approximately 33-d intervals. Mean values for hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell count (WBC), and red blood cell count (RBC) were not different among treatments (P > .05), with the exception of d 28 hemoglobin, which was greater in the calves housed in 66-cm vs 76-cm stall. There were differences (P < .05) due to design and design x width effects for hind-quarter cleanliness; manure accumulation tended to be greater in pens vs stalls as width increased. There were increases (P < .05) in left front knee swelling scores as stall or pen size decreased; no important differences were observed in ambulatory ability among treatment groups. There were design effects (P < .05) for excitability scores, with calves in stalls being more excitable. There were no important treatment effects (P > .05) for liver, spleen, and lung condition, number of abomasal hairballs, or 0- and 24-h after slaughter flank or brisket color. These results indicate that housing designs and widths did not affect veal calf growth performance, WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, ambulation, or muscle color.