Improving the welfare of dairy calves before weaning: using PLF for the early detection of behavioural indicators of disease.
The upcoming revision of animal welfare legislation that will occur by the end of 2023 will reconsider the use of cages for various animal species and categories, including calves, that nowadays are most commonly reared in individual boxes up to eight weeks of age. Change toward social-housing systems is most likely to provide positive effects, like superior productive and cognitive performances, but might also increase health risk considering the diseases which typically occur in the first two months of life, i.e., Neonatal Calf Diarrhoea and Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex. In this context, where pair-housing has been described as an advantageous compromise if compared to group-housing, the use of technology applied to livestock (Precision Livestock Farming – PLF), which is widespread for adult cattle monitoring, might also contribute to the monitoring of health and welfare of younger animals.
The objective of the project is the identification of innovative behavioural and physiological indicators of disease and welfare, through the application of PLF technology in pre-weaned dairy calves in pair-housing conditions.
The project will enroll Italian Friesian female calves from birth to two months of age, housed in two different housing solutions (individual box and pair housing).
During the experimental phase, the behaviour of each calf will be continuously monitored using tri-axial accelerometers and environmental data will be monitored with specific sensors. The general well-being and growth of animals will be assessed daily from trained staff, while calves’ health will be monitored weekly with complete veterinary clinical examination. Before each clinical examination, evaluation of behaviour will also be performed through video recording, and infrared thermography images will be taken for the evaluation of body temperature in different anatomical areas. The evaluation of calves’ health will include mainly Neonatal Calf Diarrhoea and Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex. Calves’ hair will be sampled at day 30 and 60 to evaluate cortisol concentration as an indicator of chronic stress.
Through the evaluation of data sampled, PLF early indicators of disease and positive welfare indicators will be identified. This research will provide a useful and non-invasive on-farm approach for pair-housed calves management, allowing a prompt intervention for improving health and welfare.
Graduation in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Milan (UNIMI) in 2021
Volunteer internship at the Clinics of Ruminants and Swine of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (OVU) of the University of Milan UNIMI (2019-2021)
Post-graduate scholarship holder, thanks to which she has carried out study and research activities at the Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIVAS) of the University of Milan (UNIMI) as part of the training and research program entitled “Experimental tests on alternative systems to castration without anaesthesia and analgesia in pig farming for the improvement of animal welfare – PorCastro” (2021-2022).
In October 2022, she started her PhD program, focusing on the improvement of welfare of pre-weaned dairy calves by using PLF technology to early detect behavioural indicators of diseases and welfare.
During her studies, she became interested in the study of farm animals, particularly in the field of animal welfare and behaviour.
Supervisor Prof. Elisabetta Canali
