• Brianna Forbes, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI
• Hannah Spitzer, Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College
• Rebecca Meagher, Department of Animal Science & Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS
• Miriam Gordon, Department of Animal Science & Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS
• Sydney Rose, Department of Animal Science & Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS
• Kathryn Proudfoot, Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College

When kept in a natural setting, newborn cattle will remain hidden for the first few days of life. It is unclear if dairy calves will perform this behaviour when housed indoors, and if expressing this behaviour may reduce stress. The objectives of this study are to: 1) describe the hiding behaviour of indoor-housed dairy calves kept with their dam and provided a space to hide in the first week of life, and 2) assess the effect of a hide on physiological indicators of stress in calves using heart rate variability (HRV). Twelve cow-calf pairs housed at the Dalhousie University’s Ruminant Animal Centre were randomly assigned to a treatment with or without a calf hide (n = 6 per treatment). Continuously recorded video data from calves in the hide treatment were analyzed to assess the hide use of the calves over the first week of life. To assess stress, HRV data collected from Polar heart rate monitors on the calves in both treatments were assessed. It is hypothesized that calves will use a hide when provided one and will progressively spend less time in the hide over the week. Additionally, it is anticipated that calves provided a hide will have higher HRV, indicative of lower stress, compared to calves without a hide. This study will address the relationship between hide use and its effect on calf stress and will help guide producers on how to incorporate the allowance of natural behaviours to reduce stress and improve calf welfare.