The aim of the study reported in this Research Communication was to compare play behaviour and social interactions of dairy calves either separated from their mother and reared in a calf group (Artificial) or with access to their mother and the cow herd (cow-calf contact: Contact). Contact calves had access to a calf area and also to the cow barn where they could suckle their dam. Artificial calves were fed whole milk up to 16 kg per day via an automatic milk feeder and were only kept in the calf area. We observed the animals on 3 d during the first three months of life. Contact calves showed solitary play, consisting predominantly of locomotor play, for longer than Artificial calves and mainly in the cow barn. This indicates higher welfare in Contact calves. In addition, Artificial calves hardly experienced any agonistic interaction, while Contact calves both initiated and received agonistic interactions, which might contribute to the development of higher social competence.

中文翻译：

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小牛的玩耍和社交行为，无论是否接近母牛和其他奶牛

本研究通讯报告的研究目的是比较与母亲分开并在小牛群中饲养的奶牛小牛的游戏行为和社会互动（人造的) 或可以接触到他们的母亲和牛群（牛-小牛接触：接触）。接触小牛可以进入小牛区，也可以进入牛棚，在那里他们可以哺乳他们的大坝。人造的小牛每天喂食全脂牛奶高达 16 公斤通过一个自动喂奶器，只放在小牛区。我们在生命的前三个月对动物进行了 3 天的观察。接触小牛表现出孤独的游戏，主要包括运动游戏，持续时间超过人造的小牛，主要在牛棚。这表明在接触小腿。此外，人造的小牛几乎没有经历过任何激烈的互动，而接触小牛开始和接受激动的互动，这可能有助于发展更高的社会能力。