Use of a Calving Blind That Imitates a Natural Environment.

Many indoor-housed cows isolate at calving when given the opportunity, and calving behaviors vary by blind and pen design. The objectives of this study were to determine if cows preferred calving in a visibly separated (blind) or an open area of a group maternity pen, and if there was a preference for the degree of seclusion provided by the blind (50% vs. 100% coverage). Two calving blinds were provided in a group calving pen, and the amount of visibility through the blinds was created using firehoses secured from the top of a metal frame that lined the entire front of the blind (100%) or with every other hose rolled up (50%). Holstein cows and heifers (n = 79) were enrolled into a dynamic group calving pen 21 ± 3 d before calving. Calving location, the difference in blind use prior to calving compared to a baseline period, and social behaviors were recorded using video observation. There was no difference in the number of cows that calved in or outside of a blind (28 vs. 37 calvings, respectively). Cows were more likely to calve in a blind during the day than at night and as the number of cows in the pen increased. For cows who calved in a blind, there was no preference for calving in the 50% or 100% blind (10 vs. 18, respectively). Providing a varied environment for intensively managed cattle can improve their welfare by allowing cows the opportunity to perform natural behaviors and choice over their environment.

The Impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship Training on Calf Producers' Knowledge, Treatment Behaviors and Quantified Antimicrobial Use.

The judicious use of antimicrobials on farms is necessary to mitigate the development of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens that compromise human and animal health. On livestock farms, veterinarians prescribe and dispense antimicrobials, but producers use rapid judgements of disease severity to make routine decisions on the initiation of empirical antimicrobial therapy. Therefore, the knowledge and skills required to accurately diagnose treatable bacterial infections is necessary for optimal antimicrobial stewardship. Veal calves often undergo stressors and environmental exposures that increase calves' risk of bacterial infections, and antimicrobials are sometimes necessary to ensure their health. The objective of this trial was to measure the impact of antimicrobial stewardship training on calf producers' knowledge of antimicrobial stewardship, accuracy of identifying calves for treatment, and quantified antimicrobial use. Eight farms were evenly allocated into either intervention or control groups. Training resulted in both higher scores on assessments and higher sensitivity for detecting cases that required antimicrobial therapy relative to a veterinarian. Importantly, there was a 50% reduction in the antimicrobial dosing rate among intervention farms relative to control farms. Antimicrobial stewardship training among calf producers was effective at changing producers' behaviors and reducing antimicrobial use.