| Abstract: |
The early life of a calf is a critical time that greatly affects its health and welfare. How calves are born, fed, housed, and cared for during this period plays a major role in how they grow and develop. This review looks at the main ways that farming practices impact young calves, such as how they are offered milk and water, and how they are weaned, housed, and transported. It also offers clear recommendations to help farmers improve calf care. Good practices include giving calves enough high-quality colostrum (the first milk), providing fresh water from birth, feeding the right amount of milk, and weaning them gradually. Keeping calves in small social groups and using proper pain relief when removing horns or castrating are also important. Clean environments and preventing the spread of disease are key. However, there are still areas where more research is needed, including how to measure milk quality on farms, how to wean calves in different systems, and the long-term effects of pain in early life. By improving these practices, we can help calves live healthier, more comfortable lives and support responsible, ethical farming. Calf welfare is critically influenced by early-life husbandry practices and health conditions. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on key management practices affecting calf welfare, including calving, colostrum intake, milk feeding, water provision, weaning, housing, mutilations, and transport. A structured literature search was conducted in Web of Science and Scopus using general and topic-specific keywords, complemented by expert opinions from EFSA. Evidence-based recommendations are presented to improve calf welfare, emphasizing timely colostrum administration, biologically appropriate milk volumes, access to clean water from birth, gradual weaning, and stable social housing. Pain mitigation during disbudding and castration, along with strict biosecurity and hygiene, are essential to reduce disease risk. Despite advancements, significant knowledge gaps persist, including practical tools for on-farm colostrum assessment, optimal weaning protocols, the long-term impacts of early-life pain, and alternatives to current transport practices. The review highlights the need for standardized protocols, validated technologies, and enhanced training for farmers and veterinarians. Improving husbandry practices based on scientific evidence is essential to enhance calf health, productivity, and ethical sustainability in modern rearing systems. |
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(Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Animal Welfare Education Centre (AWEC))
