Abstract
Male non-replacement calves in dairy systems represent an underutilized economic resource for dairy producers worldwide. Despite this, increasing the practice of rearing non-replacement male calves has significant barriers both in on-farm adoption and practice. Poor neonatal rearing practices, higher levels of morbidity and mortality, and disaggregated production pathways with multiple points of handling, have all been described as barriers to adoption of surplus calf production. To identify the critical decision-determining challenges associated with broader adoption of raising non-replacement stock, and to investigate the whole-of-value chain issues faced by dairy producers to rear non-replacement male calves, we undertook a series of semi-structured interviews with Australian dairy producers to interrogate their key challenges. To achieve this, a constructivist grounded theory approach was used to inform the process of analysis of in-depth interviews with Australian dairy producers regarding their current practices and perceptions. Five major themes emerged from these conversations that were key barriers to on-farm non-replacement calf rearing in the producer group participants. These were: impacts of drought on cost and availability of feed for these calves and the whole herd; the management requirements of non-replacement male calves as an additional workload to that of their current operation; their attitudes and current practices to and surrounding euthanasia; perceived ease of supply-chain access for these calves, and their perceptions of the economic value of dairy-beef product as a return on investment. Understanding the barriers to adoption of non-replacement calf rearing, and addressing the value proposition for dairy beef, can assist increased uptake of non-replacement calf rearing. These findings will allow development of strategies to address these barriers, and extension of viable management strategies to increase adoption of profitable business practices surrounding non-replacement male calf production.
Highlights
There is currently a paucity of knowledge of the practices and management strategies, for animal growth pathways and available markets for non-replacement male calves in the Australian dairy industry
Other perceived deterrents internationally to non-replacement male calf production are perceptions around a lack of obvious saleable markets [8], the perception of the replacement calf as a “low value byproduct” [9] and the limited number of rearing facilities for non-replacement male calves available to take non-replacement male calves for rearing [10]. These compounding issues have resulted in the production of non-replacement male calves being identified as a “health and welfare challenge” internationally [8] and a “wicked problem,” namely a problem that is subject to real world constraints and with potentially multiple solutions, for the dairy industry in Australia [11]
Five themes characterized each participant’s production/management decisions surrounding non-replacement calves: impacts of drought, management of non-replacement male, supply-chain access, euthanasia-related attitudes and practices and value of dairy-beef products. Within these themes poor profit margins influenced many management choices made by dairy producers; this finding was similar to those observed in other studies internationally where producer concerns for a dairy beef supply chain lay within poor supply chain integration and lack of viable profit margins [8, 24]
Summary
There is currently a paucity of knowledge of the practices and management strategies, for animal growth pathways and available markets for non-replacement male calves in the Australian dairy industry. Other perceived deterrents internationally to non-replacement male calf production are perceptions around a lack of obvious saleable markets [8], the perception of the replacement calf as a “low value byproduct” [9] and the limited number of rearing facilities for non-replacement male calves available to take non-replacement male calves for rearing [10] These compounding issues have resulted in the production of non-replacement male calves being identified as a “health and welfare challenge” internationally [8] and a “wicked problem,” namely a problem that is subject to real world constraints and with potentially multiple solutions, for the dairy industry in Australia [11]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
