A survey of calf management practices and farmer perceptions of calf housing in UK dairy herds

S.A Mahendran,D.C Wathes,R.E Booth,N Blackie

doi:10.3168/jds.2021-20638

Abstract

Adoption of optimal management techniques for rearing dairy calves has significant effects on their health, welfare, and productivity. Despite much published literature on best practice, calf morbidity and mortality rates remain high. This survey aimed to establish current calf management practices in the United Kingdom, along with farmer perceptions surrounding different housing types. A survey containing 48 questions was distributed online to UK farmers via social media, online forums, and a convenience sample of veterinary practices and was completed by 216 participants. A descriptive analysis with frequency distributions was calculated, with chi-squared tests, linear regression and multinomial regression performed to assess associations between variables. There was a low level of regular veterinary involvement in day-to-day health decision making for calves (3/216, 1.4%), highlighting the need for appropriate staff training and standard operating procedures to ensure prudent antimicrobial usage. Restricted calf milk feeding remains highly prevalent in the United Kingdom, with most calves fed milk replacer (114/216, 52.8%), twice daily (189/216, 87.5%), initially given milk at 4 L/d (66/216, 30.6%) or 6 L/d (47/216, 21.8%). There was, however, a small number of farmers initially feeding only 2 to 3 L/d (28/216, 13.0%). Euthanasia of bull calves (5/216, 2.3%) and feeding antimicrobial waste milk to calves (8/216, 3.7%) both occurred on some farms. With regard to housing, use of individual calf pens has reduced from around 60% in 2010 to 38.4% in this study (83/216), with this reduction being partly driven by the policy of UK milk buyers. Farmer perceptions indicated that individual housing was thought to help to improve calf health and feed monitoring of calves, suggesting that successful use of group housing requires a higher level of stockmanship. The majority of farmers did not provide fresh bedding to calves on a daily basis (141/216, 65.3%), and relatively few disinfected both the calf housing (38.0%) and ground (47.7%) between calves, suggesting that hygiene practices may require additional attention in farm management protocols.

Highlights

Efficient rearing of healthy dairy heifer replacement calves requires adoption of optimal management practices that are applied using consistent methods across all staff members
There has been a plethora of recent literature that has led to a greater understanding of optimal management practices for calf rearing (Sinnott et al, 2021; Bučková et al, 2021; Ghaffari and Kertz, 2021; Santman-Berends et al, 2021), but the successful communication of these findings to key stakeholders (Jansen et al, 2010b; Moya et al, 2021), understanding of this information by farm staff, and uptake of these recommendations still remains a challenge that impedes progression as an industry
Studies from some countries have shown that lower national perinatal mortality is possible, with a country wide retrospective study of French data showing 4.4% mortality rates in the first month of life (Raboisson et al, 2013), Mahendran et al.: SURVEY OF CALF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Summary

Introduction

Efficient rearing of healthy dairy heifer replacement calves requires adoption of optimal management practices that are applied using consistent methods across all staff members. Another study conducted on 18 UK farms found that 11% of dairy heifers died between one month of age and first calving (Brickell and Wathes, 2011), with losses continuing into first lactation when an additional 12.2% were culled (Esslemont and Kossaibati, 1997). These calf mortalities indicate that, much is known about the science of calf care, the practical realities of successfully rearing these animals on farm is falling short. Studies from some countries have shown that lower national perinatal mortality is possible, with a country wide retrospective study of French data showing 4.4% mortality rates in the first month of life (Raboisson et al, 2013), Mahendran et al.: SURVEY OF CALF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES and a 2-yr retrospective study from Switzerland showing 2.4% perinatal mortality (Bleul, 2011)

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