EFFECT OF FLOOR TYPES ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND SOME BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS OF BROWN SWISS CALVES

The study was carried out to compare growth performance, feed efficiency ratio and some behavioural characteristics of Brown Swiss calves kept on rubber mats, wooden slat or concrete pens. All pens were bedded daily with long wheat straw. While weights at weaning and 4 months of age were not significantly influenced by the type of floor, average 6 months weight of the calves housed on the rubber mats pens was significantly (P<0.05) lower than those in wooden slat and concrete groups. Total weight gains of calves in wooden slat and concrete pens between 4 and 6 months of ages were significantly (P<0.05) greater than these of the young animals on the rubber mats pens. Average amount of dry matter of the feed (4.15 +/- 0.06) consumed per kg weight gains between birth and 6 months of age was not affected significantly by the types of floor and sex of calves. However, percentage of time spent for lying (P<0.05) and standing (P<0.01) behaviours were significantly affected by the type of floors.