PERFORMANCE OF PRE-WEANED FEMALE CALVES CONFINED IN HOUSING AND OPEN ENVIRONMENT HUTCHES IN KUWAIT

Aridland Agriculture and Greenery Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait

Abstract   

    Objective of the present study was to compare the responses of Holstein Friesian pre-weaned female calves confined in elevated metallic crates in closed-type of housing and polyvinyl hutches in an open environment of Kuwait. A total of 176 newborn Holstein Friesian female calves were randomly distributed to conventional confinement in closed-type calf houses (control) and individual calf hutch in open environment (treatment). These calves were monitored upto the weaning age of 90 days. The average daily live weight gain was significantly higher in calves housed in hutches than conventional housing system (413 versus 113 g/h/d; P≤0.0001). Mean risk rates (RR) for mortality in hutch and conventional housing were 0.017 and 0.23, respectively. The results showed a significant positive impact of hutch housing with respect to growth, mortality and incidence of diseases in Kuwait’s intensive dairy farming system.

Key words: Dairy calves, weight gain, conventional housing, hutch, mortality