Effect of housing conditions on Friesian calves performance.
Abstract: This study was carried out at Sakha Experimental Station, located in the northern part of the Nile Delta, Egypt, at latitude 31.7o and longitude 30.57o on 20 m above the sea level. Chemical analysis and hormonal assay were conducted in the Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt. The study was arranged with the Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
The main objective of this study was to study the seasonal and diurnal climatic changes of three different housing types to evaluate their effects on the physiological performance of growing Friesian calves. Furthermore, the study was carried out to decide whether these housing types are satisfactory in their current conditions or need to be modified.
A total of 21 healthy male Friesian calves were selected according to their age and weight (4 – 5 months and 116 kg as an average weight). The calves were divided into three groups (7 animals) and housed in three different types of animal housing described briefly as follows:
1- Shaded yard: The yard (10.0 m length X 9.0 m width) shaded with asbestos sheets and concrete roof.
2- Semi-open barn: The barn (12 m length X 7.5 m width) roofed with asbestos sheets at 3.5 m height with concrete floor with ventilation openings represent 60 % from the whole area
3- Closed barn: The (18 m length X 4.5 m width) roofed totally with asbestos ceiling. The floor was completely earthen.
The experimental work was carried out for two years; the practical experiment was conducted in one year (2002 – 2003) during four seasons starting from summer 2002 (July till September), then autumn 2002 (October till December), then winter 2003 (January till March) and finally spring 2003 (April till June). And the other year was to assess the blood plasma components.
Climatic conditions of the three housing types and some of the physiological parameters of the Friesian calves were recorded in the morning and in the afternoon biweekly for six times every season. Concerning the blood plasma, it was collected once a day and estimated by the same techniques and procedures:
1. Environmental conditions: AT, min. & max.- temp. and RH.
2.Thermal characteristics of housing: wall, roof and floor temperatures.
3.Thermal responses of calves: RT and ST.
4.Respiratory responses: RR.
5.Hematological responses: Hb and Ht.
6.Hormonal response: T4, T3, insulin and testosterone hormones.
7.Blood plasma traits: TP, albumin, globulin, TL Glucose.
Body weight (BW).
9.Feed intake (FI) and water intake (WI).

Results indicated the following:

There were high seasonal and diurnal differences in the climatic conditions for the three housing types. At 08:00 hr., means of AT were lower than AT at 14:00 hr., while the RH values was higher at 08:00 hr. and lower at 14:00 hr. in all seasons
The highest values of AT and RH were in the closed barn, while the lower values were in the shaded yard and semi-open barn.
3-There were high significant (p < 0.01) correlation coefficients between the atmospheric temperature and the physiological parameters of Friesian calves.
There were great significant differences of WI and DMI between the closed barn and the other houses. The calves in the closed barn consumed lower DMI and higher WI in summer season.
Friesian calves in the three housing types showed low performance of for BWG and RGR in summer season, especially calves in the closed barn.
6- There were diurnal (p < 0.01), and seasonal (p < 0.01) variations in the RT, ST and RR for the all calves under the three different housing types with the change in AT. The values of RT, ST and RR of Friesian calves were significant higher at 14:00 hr. in summer than the other seasons in any of the three housing types, while the lowest values were obtained at 08:00 hr in winter.
7- Calves in the closed barn showed higher RR with the changing in AT where they showed panting. The highest values were obtained 14:00 hr. compared with the values under shaded yard and semi-open barn.
8- The conductive temperature gradients between body to skin and the convective temperature gradients between skin to air temperatures decreased linearly with increase of ST and AT. And the lowest values of TG were in summer in the closed barn.
9- There were seasonal variation in the blood parameters, T3, T4, insulin, testosterone, glucose, TL, TP, Albumin, globulin, hemoglobin, hematocrit. Where the lowest values were obtained in the hottest seasons and the highest values were obtained in the coldest season. However, the differences were fluctuated between the three housing types.
10- The results showed strong relationship between T4, T3, Insulin and glucose.
It could be concluded that the physical properties of the building materials and building design play an important role of changing the microclimatic surrounding the animals, therefore, it could be discussed in accordance with the obtained data from this study. Considering the reflection of these physical conditions in the three houses it was evident that the animals had better comfort condition in the shaded yard and semi-open barn than the closed barn. Calves in these houses showed satisfied performance, where the houses were better ventilated, dry and cleaner compared with the closed barn.
The concept of heat flow needs to be elucidated by further experimentation and consideration of the thermal properties (capacity, transference, emissivity etc.) of the building materials for walls and roof. The ventilation means of the barns has to be considered in relation with connective heat loss from the animals.
Publication year 2005
Availability location مكتبة معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد - الدقى - الجيزة
Availability number 920
Organization Name
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Animal physiology - Nutrition
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Cows. Housing. Performance testing.
Publication Type PhD Thesis
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