Characterizing calf welfare and husbandry practices on dairy-beef farms in the Midwestern US

<p dir="ltr">Dairy-beef calves often face significant early-life challenges, such as inadequate colostrum and fasting, pathogen exposure, and injury during marketing. These challenges result in both immediate and longer-term consequences to calf welfare and productivity. Therefore, the objectives of the first research study (<b>Chapter 2</b>) were to evaluate the condition of dairy-beef calves on arrival at farms in the Midwestern US and identify risk factors for poor outcomes. Semi-objective scoring systems were used to assess 72 calves/farm for clinical signs of disease across 20 dairy-beef farms in IN, OH, WI, and IA. Blood was collected from all calves to evaluate blood biochemical indicators of calf heath, including failed transfer of passive immunity (<b>FTPI</b>). On arrival, 48.3% of calves had diarrhea, 35.8% had dehydration, and 22.0% had navel inflammation. Blood biochemical analyses indicated 21.6% of calves had FTPI, 48.3% were hypoglycemic, and 27.6% had elevated serum non-esterified fatty acids. Successful transfer of passive immunity was associated with reduced odds of diarrhea and hypoglycemia. Additionally, a normal fecal consistency was associated with reduced odds of dehydration, depression, and hypoglycemia. A second research study (<b>Chapter 3</b>) was then performed using the same calf population to establish prevalence estimates for key health and welfare outcomes at 1, 5, and 10 wk after arrival. A secondary objective of this study was to describe husbandry practices across farms. At 1 wk, 67.3% of calves had diarrhea, and farm-level prevalence ranged from 14.5 to 100%. At 5 and 10 wk, 29.2% and 25.1% of calves had bovine respiratory disease, respectively. Thirty percent of farms housed pre-weaned calves socially (14 ± 2.4 calves/group). Average milk allowance was 4.8 ± 0.3 L/d, and mean weaning age was 44 d ± 4. Not all farms met fundamental standards of care like continuous access to water, analgesia for painful procedures, and timely euthanasia. These results illustrate calves experience high levels of morbidity and, in some instances, substandard care on arrival and in the first 10 wk on dairy-beef farms, underscoring a critical need for increased veterinary engagement and educational resources for calf raisers to improve animal welfare.</p>