Influence of Early Social Learning on Later Feeding Behaviour for Novel Food in Calves

概要

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The object of this study is to examine whether the early social learning experience influences later intake of three novel foods in calves. This study consisted of two phases: the learning period and the persistent testing period. In the learning period, Group I of six calves were exposed to novel food and ate together with their dams. Group O of six calves could see what their dams ate, but they could not eat the novel food. Group T of six calves were exposed to novel food alone. The novel foods used in this experiment were alfalfa haycubes which their dams had eaten before, and tofu lees which their dams had not previously experienced eating. The learning period to the novel food lasted for three days in each group. After the learning period, calves were weaned and fed on a basal diet for 12 weeks as the persistence period of learning. Intake of alfalfa haycubes tended to increase in Group I at almost significant level (P=0.05). Intake of tofu lees did not differ significantly among the three groups. Early social learning on novel food, even for only 60min, influenced feeding behaviour after 12 weeks in calves.
社団法人日本畜産学会の論文