I was a professor in a dairy science department for 36 years while also raising high-genetic Jersey calves. What were my goals during the first half of my career? One was learning how soon we can wean calves to cut down on labor and cost for feeding expensive milk or milk replacer diets. Calves were prone to scours around this time, too. Another reason for earlier weaning was to avoid nose-to-nose contact and prevent disease trans- mission. We also had a surplus of heifer calves, and bull calves had limited economic value.

Things have changed. Bull and dairy-beef cross calves are now a profit center on many farms. We also know that proactive heifer care can lead to earlier calving and bet- ter health and production during lactation, but labor availability and quality remains a concern on many farms, and the collection and use of data to manage our calf program has been limited.

Can we achieve more?

During the first 4 weeks of life, starter intake is minimal, and nutrient needs must be met by milk. On farms where calves are housed individually, this means large meals if calves are fed twice a day. Is this stressful? We are accustomed to calves bawling loudly at feeding time, but is it biologically normal to feed such a young animal twice a day? A common approach is to limit meal sizes to less than 3 quarts per feeding, which may meet mainte- nance requirements with little left over for growth, especially during cold weather. Weaning is another feeding challenge. Traditional practice is to begin weaning as early as 5 weeks of age by feeding one meal instead of two for one week. Calves may be housed individually for a week post- weaning and then moved to group pens. When they are adjusting to the group pen, they run into each other, the walls, and other objects in the pen. Of course, the net result is that growth occurring from feed- ing more milk is lost, as it’s common for them to lose weight during the first month in the group pen. The incidence of respiratory disease is higher as well. The conclusion has been that feeding more milk is not a good practice, as calves commonly experience this setback. Although  individual  housing  of calves during the preweaning period has been strongly recommended for valid reasons, have we consid- ered the possible stress on calves from this practice? Unfortunately, it is challenging to conduct con- trolled research studies comparing the systems, but behavior of group- housed or even pair-housed calves is very different both during the preweaned period and later in life as cows. These calves adjust to new feeds and new situations much better than individually housed calves.

Consider a change

Transitioning to a group housing system with calf autofeeders is not a short-term financial decision. This is a long-term investment in a facility and equipment, as well as changes in cost for nutrition and labor. Calculate the annual cost with the assumption of a 10-year timeline for equipment and longer for the facility. Excellent maternity and colostrum manage- ment are important for all calf rear- ing systems, but probably more so for group housing. Looking at your current calf facility, a question to ask is whether to retrofit it or build a new facility. Ventilation and drainage must be optimal, and the design should result in labor-efficient and effective handling of calves, feed, and waste. Assume increased costs for milk or milk replacer as limit-feeding (less than 8 quarts or liters per day) is strongly discouraged, as undesirable calf behavior is more common. Mea- sure feed costs in relation to cost per pound of gain rather than cost per day. The cost per pound of gain will be less as there are more nutrients left over to support growth after maintenance requirements are met.

Autofeeder payback

You will see better growth if a bet- ter feeding system is implemented. Strive to place calves in groups and on the autofeeder before 7 days of life. Delaying this teaches calves to expect milk twice per day and may delay transitioning to the autofeeder. Free choice access to milk or milk replacer is recommended for at least the first month of life. Limit intake to about 2 liters every two hours. Remember that calves are not forced to consume large volumes of milk, they adjust their intake to changing environmental conditions. A multistage weaning plan works well 30 days after calves enter the system, reducing milk or milk replacer intake from 12 liters per day to around 8 liters or less over four days. This is a good stimulus for the calf to consume starter. Hold this reduced level constant for about 10 days and then gradually wean calves over 14 days. When calves are already housed in groups, this program eliminates the stress of moving calves into group pens. Gen- erally, plan to move calves out of the autofeeder pen a week or so after weaning. It is rare for calves reared in this system to experience a setback once they are in the weaned calf pen. The autofeeder systems were promoted as labor saving. However, this should be qualified, as one should have a calf manager who has skills in observing calves using behavior data and maintaining equipment in working and clean condition. The employee will spend less time doing jobs such as washing buckets and bottles, and mixing and deliver- ing feed, and more time managing calves. This way the farm may spend as much on labor, but they pay fewer skilled personnel more, have fewer employees to manage, and the calf team enjoys their work more, resulting in less employee turnover. The calf is the first animal that consumers consider when evaluating how we manage animal welfare. Consumer research has shown that they perceive group housed calves much more positively. The additional advantage to the farm is that these animals adjust to new feeds and new situations more rapidly than calves raised individually. These behaviors persist later into life. What prevents change on the farm? If we perceive that we are achieving good success with our current system, why change? Our industry is adapting to upcoming market conditions and perceptions by our consumers. Is it time for change on your farm?