Practical implications of calf housing systems in the UK

Abstract

One of the biggest environmental and management factors that impact calf health and welfare is the housing within which they are kept, particularly in the first few months of life. There are multiple housing systems used on farms in the UK, each providing its own challenges, with the additional pressure of changing weather systems adding to the difficulties faced in the calf housing across the changing seasons. Temperature and humidity levels can have a direct impact on disease pressures, so knowing how calf housing responds in the summer and winter can help manage these pressures. There has been an overall reduction in individual calf housing used in the UK, although there is still a perception that individual housing results in better calf health. There is mounting evidence to support the positive benefits of pair housing of calves on growth rates and solid feed intakes, and an uptake of computerised calf feeders can help to monitor large group sizes for signs of ill health.