. 2023 Mar 29;21(3):e07896. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7896

Table 5.

ABMs for inability to perform sucking behaviour in individual pens in dairy farms

ABM	Comments
Sucking of pen fixtures	Definition: Mouth open and in physical contact with pen fixtures (not including artificial teat), with visible mouth movements (Horvath et al., 2020). A larger time spent sucking pen fixtures typically indicates a more severe inability to perform sucking behaviour Sensitivity: Low. The sensitivity of this ABM increases when there is restricted contact with neighbouring animals Specificity: High. Sucking is very specific to the need to suck
Cross‐sucking	Definition: The calf is sucking on the skin of any body part of another calf, typically muzzle, ears and neck. The sucking movements are performed with the body part in the mouth (Jensen and Budde, 2006) Sensitivity: High. The sensitivity of this ABM increases when calves are hungry. The best observation time is the first 30 min after milk feeding. Importantly, this ABM is sensitive only if animals have sufficient contact with neighbouring animals Specificity: High
Loss of hair and inflammation of skin in the muzzle/ears area	Definition: Observation of hair loss based on clinical examination (Lidfors, 1993) Sensitivity: Low, because cross‐sucking behaviour not always results in loss of hair or inflammation of skin Specificity: High

ABM

Comments

Sucking of pen fixtures

Definition: Mouth open and in physical contact with pen fixtures (not including artificial teat), with visible mouth movements (Horvath et al., 2020). A larger time spent sucking pen fixtures typically indicates a more severe inability to perform sucking behaviour

Sensitivity: Low. The sensitivity of this ABM increases when there is restricted contact with neighbouring animals

Specificity: High. Sucking is very specific to the need to suck

Cross‐sucking

Definition: The calf is sucking on the skin of any body part of another calf, typically muzzle, ears and neck. The sucking movements are performed with the body part in the mouth (Jensen and Budde, 2006)

Sensitivity: High. The sensitivity of this ABM increases when calves are hungry. The best observation time is the first 30 min after milk feeding. Importantly, this ABM is sensitive only if animals have sufficient contact with neighbouring animals

Specificity: High

Loss of hair and inflammation of skin in the muzzle/ears area

Definition: Observation of hair loss based on clinical examination (Lidfors, 1993)

Sensitivity: Low, because cross‐sucking behaviour not always results in loss of hair or inflammation of skin

Specificity: High