Automated behavioural monitoring allows assessment of the relationships between cow and calf behaviour and calves' survivability and performance

Abstract Calf mortality in northern Australia is one of the largest welfare and productivity constraints in the industry. The proximity of cows and their calves in the days after birth may provide valuable information linked to calf performance and survival. In this study, ten cows (n = 10) and their ten calves (n = 10) were monitored using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) collars to measure the proximity between cow and calf, and their behaviours from birth. Cows were fitted with GNSS collars at time of pregnancy testing and calves were fitted with GNSS collars shortly after birth. Cows and calves maintained longer distances from other cows and calves during the first 3 days after calving compared to days 4 to 14 after calving (P