ABSTRACT

The calf born to the dairy cow, however, is routinely submitted to more insults to normal development than any other farm animal. The first instinct of a newborn calf is to rise to its feet and suck from its mother to obtain, first from colostrum and later from milk, the nutrients essential for its early growth and development. The behaviour of any animal is determined both by genetics and environment. The digestive system of the young calf is beautifully designed to ensure efficient digestion of a high quality feedstuff like milk and simultaneously the efficient fermentation of plant materials containing cellulose and other structural carbohydrates. The large number of 'bobby calves' coming especially from Ayrshire cows goes a long way to explain the high calf mortality rates observed in Scotland in the late 1940s. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.