?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=https%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2Fid%2Feprint%2F42896%2F&rft.title=Animal+performance+and+stress+at+weaning+when+dairy+cows+suckle+their+calves+for+short+versus+long+daily+durations&rft.creator=Nicolao%2C+Alessandra&rft.creator=Veissier%2C+Isabelle&rft.creator=Bouchon%2C+Matthieu&rft.creator=Sturaro%2C+Enrico&rft.creator=Martin%2C+Bruno&rft.creator=Pomi%C3%A8s%2C+Dominique&rft.subject=+Dairy+cattle&rft.subject=+Feeding+and+growth&rft.description=Calves+in+most+European+dairy+farms+are+separated+from+their+dams+either+immediately+or+within+a+few+hours+after+birth%2C+prompting+mounting+society+concern+on+animal+welfare+grounds.+The+aim+of+this+study+was+to+identify+ways+to+maintain+cow%E2%80%93calf+contacts+that+balance+the+benefits+for+calf+growth+and+health+against+the+negative+impacts+on+saleable+milk+and+stress+at+weaning.+We+tested+reuniting+cows+and+calves+for+20+min+before+(+Before+group)+or+2.5+h+after+(+After+group)+morning+milking+(Trial+1)+or+for+a+9+h+period+between+the+morning+and+evening+milkings+(Dam+group%2C+Trial+2).+In+both+trials%2C+each+treatment+was+applied+on+a+group+of+14+dam%E2%80%93calf+pairs+(7+Holstein+%5B+Ho+%5D+and+7+Montb%C3%A9liarde+%5B+Mo+%5D).+Control+-calves+were+separated+from+their+dam+at+birth+and+artificially+suckled+with+tank+milk+provided+daily+at+13%25+(Trial+1)+and+14%25+(Trial+2)+of+their+body+weight.+All+calves+were+weaned+from+the+age+of+12+weeks+at+a+weight+of+at+least+100+kg.+In+Trial+1%2C+the+After+group+was+prematurely+stopped+when+the+calves+were+8+weeks+of+age+as+calf+growth+became+limited+(318+g%2Fd)+due+to+low+milk+intakes+(3+kg%2Fd).+Milk+yield+at+the+parlour+was+29%25+lower+in+After-cows+compared+to+Controls+(first+8+weeks+of+lactation).+During+the+first+16+weeks+of+lactation%2C+milk+yield+at+the+parlour+was+45%25+lower+in+Before-cows+and+31%25+lower+in+Dam-cows+compared+to+Controlcows.%0D%0AMilk+protein+content+was+2.1+g%2Fkg+higher+in+Before-cows+and+1.3+g%2Fkg+higher+in+Dam-cows+while+milk+fat+content+was+3.2+g%2Fkg+higher+in+Before-cows+but+5.2+g%2Fkg+lower+in+Dam-cows+compared+to+Control-cows.+There+were+no+significant+differences+in+milk+SCC+and+in+frequency+of+cow+and+calf+health+events+between+suckling+and+control+groups.+Compared+to+Control-calves%2C+calf+growth+until+weaning+was+higher+in+the+suckling+calves+in+Trial+1+(%2B171+g%2Fd+in+Before-calves)+and+similar+in+Trial+2+(%2B7+g%2Fd+in+Dam-calves).+At+weaning%2C+Before-+and+Dam-calves+started+to+vocalize+earlier+and+continued+to+vocalize+longer+than+controls.+In+conclusion%2C+the+best+compromise+between+cow+milk+yield+and+calf+growth+is+a+long+period+of+cow%E2%80%93calf+contact+(9+h)+between+the+morning+and+evening+milkings.+Still+abrupt+weaning+nevertheless+stresses+both+cows+and+calves.&rft.date=2021-06&rft.type=Journal+paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=%2Fid%2Feprint%2F42896%2F1%2FANIMAL-S-21-00607.pdf&rft.identifier=+++Nicolao%2C+Alessandra%3B+Veissier%2C+Isabelle%3B+Bouchon%2C+Matthieu%3B+Sturaro%2C+Enrico%3B+Martin%2C+Bruno+and+Pomi%C3%A8s%2C+Dominique+++(2021)+Animal+performance+and+stress+at+weaning+when+dairy+cows+suckle+their+calves+for+short+versus+long+daily+durations.+++Animal%2C+-%2C+xx-xx.++++%5BSubmitted%5D++++