Open Collections

Description

We conducted a systematic review of the literature on management interventions aimed at reducing non-nutritive oral behaviors (NNOBs), including cross-sucking, in pre-weaned dairy calves. We reviewed 81 studies and synthesized the direction of intervention effects based on the authors' conclusions. We found that feeding calves in a way that allows the expression of natural suckling behavior is effective in reducing NNOBs. Keeping calves with their dam during the milk-feeding period consistently reduced the risk of cross-sucking and other NNOBs. Where dam-rearing is not possible, the risk of NNOBs can be reduced by providing calves the opportunity to suck milk from a teat that provides a slow milk flow during sucking, offering daily milk allowances and meal sizes that prevent hunger (e.g., ≥20% of body weight of milk/d, and approximately 10 % of body weight of milk/meal). Furthermore, providing access to forage and using gradual weaning to ensure sufficient solid feed intake to prevent hunger can reduce NNOBs. Other factors, including breed, individual differences and social dynamics, may also affect the expression of NNOBs but require further investigation.