Competition Metrics
This metric tracks how often a calf is pushed away from their feeder
What is displacement frequency?
This is the primary hormone measured in blood or saliva to indicate a stress response.
What is cortisol?
This is the method of slowly reducing milk volume over several days or weeks.
What is gradual or step-down weaning?
This is the term for the ranking system established among calves in a group-housed setting.
What is social hierarchy?
This metric measures the total time a calf spends at the feeder station
What is feeder occupancy duration?
This type of sample can be used to measure long-term, chronic stress levels in calves.
What is hair cortisol?
This is the primary nutritional goal for calves during the weaning process to ensure they remain healthy.
What is increased solid feed/starter intake?
These are the aggressive behaviors observed when calves compete for access to the feeder.
What are agonistic interactions?
These are visits to the feeder where the calf is denied milk due to programmed
What are unsuccessful visits?
This is the term for the body's internal balance that is disrupted by high competition at the feeder.
What is homeostasis?
This is the type of weaning that causes the highest spike in cortisol levels compared to automated gradual weaning.
What is abrupt weaning?
This is the term for the individual who consistently wins access to the feeder over others.
Who is the dominant calf?
This metric identifies the time of day when the most calves are attempting to access the feeder simultaneously.
What is peak demand or peak feeding time?
This is the term for the "fight-or-flight" response triggered by intense competition at the feeder.
What is the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) response?)
This is the term for the period immediately following the cessation of milk, where calves are most vulnerable to stress.
What is the post-weaning slump?
his is the term for the behavior where calves learn to wait for a dominant peer to finish before approaching the feeder.
What is social facilitation or learned avoidance?
This is the ratio of successful milk-dispensing visits to total visits made to the feeder.
What is the success rate or visit efficiency?
This is the term for the negative impact on growth rates caused by prolonged elevated cortisol levels.
What is metabolic cost or reduced feed efficiency?
This is the strategy of grouping calves by age or size to ensure they reach weaning milestones at similar times.
What is cohort management?
This is the phenomenon where the presence of a stable social group reduces the individual stress response of a calf.
What is the social buffering effect?