GROUP HOUSING OF VEAL CALVES OLDER THAN 2 TO 8 WEEKS OF AGE

The effect of three different feeding techniques (electronic automated feeder, teat bucket and bucket with floating teat) on oral activities , skin condition, health and performance of 144 German Holstein group housed veal carves was investigated. About 21% of the observed time ov er 24 hours was spent on oral activities and only about 1% with the pa rticularly health-relevant activities at prepuce, navel or scrotum. As a consequence of sucking activities at pen mates in most cases redden ing of the skin and, with low incidence (about 7%), additional loss of hair could be found. Altogether about 74% of the calves were affected with the highest incidence in the electronic automated feeder groups. Calves of these groups had, moreover, higher disease incidences and a lower weight gain and feed conversion rate than those fed by teat buc ket or by bucket with floating test. Altogether results show that in t erms of behaviour and health it is possible to keep carves at the age of two weeks in groups, even in conventional veal calf production, whe n satisfactory management is applied. The electronic automated feeder still needs further technical development for use with veal calves.