Update to UK calf management and housing strategies

This article reviews calf-rearing practices and housing on UK dairy farms, with a focus on optimising calf health, welfare and production. Key findings include the continued underfeeding of milk. In terms of housing, there were benefits to pairing, over individual housing, with group housing using automated milk feeders showing potential but requiring careful management of weaning and social interactions. Environmental assessments across different housing types revealed challenges in maintaining optimal conditions, with hutches exhibiting the most extreme temperatures and sheds having higher levels of airborne contaminants. Providing adequate milk, appropriate housing and social conditions, and careful management, particularly during weaning, are crucial for successful calf rearing.