Associations between preweaning calf feeding behaviors with age at first calving and lactational performance using an automatic calf feeder

The objective of this retrospective observational study was to determine whether preweaning calf behaviors and milk replacer (MR) intake from an automatic calf feeder were associated with age at first calving and first-lactation performance. Calves were housed in groups with access to an automatic calf feeder for 7 wk with a maximum milk allowance of 1,800 g/d of MR (12 L/d). Outcomes of interest included age at first calving (n = 137), first-lactation mature-equivalent 305-d (ME305) milk yield (n = 132), and first-lactation ME305 energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield (n = 132). Linear models included the fixed effects of the daily means of unrewarded visits, rewarded visits, drinking speed, and MR intake. Furthermore, breed, disease diagnosis, season of birth, and age of the calf when it was first introduced to the automatic calf feeder were included in all models. The genetic parameter for milk yield (predicted transmitting ability for milk) was included in models related to lactational performance. Feeding behaviors and milk replacer intake were not associated with age at first calving. Unrewarded visits to the automatic calf feeder were associated with ME305 milk and ECM yields. As mean daily unrewarded visits increased by 1, first-lactation ME305 milk yield and ME305 ECM yield increased by 319 kg and 224 kg, respectively. No other feeding behavior was significantly associated with first-lactation ME305 milk or ECM yields. In conclusion, unrewarded visits were positively associated with first-lactation performance, but external validation is still needed.