Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming
Individual calves show substantial between- and within-individual variation in their feeding behavior, the existence and extent of which are not fully researched. In this study, 57,196 feeding records, collected by a computerized milk feeder from 48 pre-weaned calves over 5 weeks, were collated and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.827124/full |
| _version_ | 1818775637274394624 |
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| author | Charles Carslake Francesca Occhiuto Jorge A. Vázquez-Diosdado Jasmeet Kaler |
| author_facet | Charles Carslake Francesca Occhiuto Jorge A. Vázquez-Diosdado Jasmeet Kaler |
| author_sort | Charles Carslake |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Individual calves show substantial between- and within-individual variation in their feeding behavior, the existence and extent of which are not fully researched. In this study, 57,196 feeding records, collected by a computerized milk feeder from 48 pre-weaned calves over 5 weeks, were collated and analyzed for individual differences in three different feeding behaviors using a multi-level modeling approach. For each feeding behavior, we quantified behavioral variation by calculating repeatability and the coefficient of variation in predictability. Our results indicate that calves differed from each other in their average behavioral expression (behavioral type) and in their residual, within individual variation around their behavioral type (predictability). Feeding rate and total meals had the highest repeatability (>0.4) indicating that substantial, temporally stable between-individual differences exist for these behaviors. Additionally, for some behaviors (e.g., feeding rate) calves varied from more to less predictable whereas for other behaviors (e.g., meal size) calves were more homogenous in their within-individual variation around their behavioral type. Finally, we show that for individual calves, behavioral types for feeding rate and total meals were positively correlated which may suggest the existence of an underlying factor responsible for driving the (co)expression of these two behaviors. Our results highlight how the application of methods from the behavioral ecology literature can assist in improving our understanding of individual differences in calf feeding behavior. Furthermore, by uncovering consistencies between individual behavioral differences in calves, our results indicate that animal personality may play a role in driving variability in calf feeding behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:00:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77becadde4a3473c8e2eb7ac595d32fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:00:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-77becadde4a3473c8e2eb7ac595d32fb2022-12-21T21:10:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692022-03-01910.3389/fvets.2022.827124827124Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock FarmingCharles CarslakeFrancesca OcchiutoJorge A. Vázquez-DiosdadoJasmeet KalerIndividual calves show substantial between- and within-individual variation in their feeding behavior, the existence and extent of which are not fully researched. In this study, 57,196 feeding records, collected by a computerized milk feeder from 48 pre-weaned calves over 5 weeks, were collated and analyzed for individual differences in three different feeding behaviors using a multi-level modeling approach. For each feeding behavior, we quantified behavioral variation by calculating repeatability and the coefficient of variation in predictability. Our results indicate that calves differed from each other in their average behavioral expression (behavioral type) and in their residual, within individual variation around their behavioral type (predictability). Feeding rate and total meals had the highest repeatability (>0.4) indicating that substantial, temporally stable between-individual differences exist for these behaviors. Additionally, for some behaviors (e.g., feeding rate) calves varied from more to less predictable whereas for other behaviors (e.g., meal size) calves were more homogenous in their within-individual variation around their behavioral type. Finally, we show that for individual calves, behavioral types for feeding rate and total meals were positively correlated which may suggest the existence of an underlying factor responsible for driving the (co)expression of these two behaviors. Our results highlight how the application of methods from the behavioral ecology literature can assist in improving our understanding of individual differences in calf feeding behavior. Furthermore, by uncovering consistencies between individual behavioral differences in calves, our results indicate that animal personality may play a role in driving variability in calf feeding behavior.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.827124/fullfeeding behaviorhealth and welfaredairy calvesprecision livestock farminganimal personality |
| spellingShingle | Charles Carslake Francesca Occhiuto Jorge A. Vázquez-Diosdado Jasmeet Kaler Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming Frontiers in Veterinary Science feeding behavior health and welfare dairy calves precision livestock farming animal personality |
| title | Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming |
| title_full | Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming |
| title_fullStr | Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming |
| title_full_unstemmed | Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming |
| title_short | Repeatability and Predictability of Calf Feeding Behaviors—Quantifying Between- and Within-Individual Variation for Precision Livestock Farming |
| title_sort | repeatability and predictability of calf feeding behaviors quantifying between and within individual variation for precision livestock farming |
| topic | feeding behavior health and welfare dairy calves precision livestock farming animal personality |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.827124/full |
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