Management Strategies to Enhance Health, Welfare and Future Performance of Dairy Calves and Growing Animals

Dear Colleagues,

The production of healthy, well grown and adapted replacement dairy heifers is key to sustainable milk production, irrespective of production system. Disease in the pre-weaning phase is perhaps the most widely recognised and visible constraint on calf welfare, as well as being a major driver of antimicrobial usage on dairy farms with implications for control of AMR. It is widely acknowledged that management practices, especially housing, are key determinants of disease, especially respiratory and enteric disease in calves, whilst nutritional status is being increasingly identified as not only key to achieving satisfactory growth results but may also impact future production and longevity. Technological developments, in terms of data collection and utilisation, in conjunction with novel diagnostics offer new tools to enhance calf health, productivity and welfare. However, it may be argued that the current high levels of morbidity and mortality have habituated many producers and their advisers into acceptance of the status quo. Thus, understanding human behaviours and motivating factors is key to facilitating behaviour change with respect to calf rearing. The aim of this Special Issue is to address all these aforementioned issues. Contributions are invited, including both original research papers and reviews (systematic and non-systematic). It is hoped that contributions dealing with the full spectrum of global dairying practices will be received, including small scale dairying in LMIC countries, in order to reflect the global nature of dairy cattle production.

Dr. David H. Grove-White
Dr. Joanne W.H. Oultram
Guest Editors