Cow and calf separation is an emerging issue in dairy industry

While the topic of cow-calf separation is debated in other dairy countries, it could best be described as an early-emerging issue for Australian dairy farmers.

The topic has been flagged with concern by RSPCA Australia and Dairy Australia. Dairy Australia has been a funding partner in two recent research projects into understanding cow calf separation.

The Australian dairy industry is unusual globally in that it is based on pasture grazing year-round. Given cows are expected to walk several kilometres every day between their grazed paddocks and the dairy, for milking, it would be logistically impossible to graze milking cows alongside their calves.

This is different to a milking system based on barn-housed cows, even if the herd accesses pasture over the summer months in the northern hemisphere.

The topic was discussed to varying extent by Professor Dr Nina von Keyserlingk during her speaking tour that culminated in addressing the Australian Dairy Conference, held in Hobart in February.

Dr von Keyserlingk is employed at the University of British Columbia, is a director of the National Farm Animal Health and Welfare Council of Canada, and is a scientific adviser on the Danone Global Animal Welfare Council.

The majority of her work has focused on researching behaviour, housing and management of farm, companion and laboratory animals.

She researches public attitudes towards contentious issues in farm animal care and welfare, and why farmers don't adopt proven animal welfare practices.

For more than a decade, Dr von Keyserlingk has been studying the concept of 'Should dairy calves be separated from the cow within the first few hours after birth?' Her research groups are primarily in the northern hemisphere.

Dr von Keyserlingk said a significant justification underpinning this research to endorse industry change, was the social licence given by the general public to farmers to operate a dairy farm.

Opponents of early separation contended it was emotionally stressful for the calf and cow, it compromised calf and cow health, it was unnatural, and the industry could and should accommodate cow-calf pairs, Dr von Keyserlingk said.

In Australia there are a number of reasons why cow and calf separation has become the norm.

Not least is that cows are outdoors year-round grazing in pasture-based dairy system, a significantly positive provenance story for Australian dairy production.

To maintain the cow and calf bond, calves would have to walk between hundreds of metres to several kilometres each day with the herd, to and from the milking shed. This is a logistically difficult and unsustainable system, involving between scores and hundreds of calves in any given month.

The birth process of the calf develops lactation, so separating the cow from the calf also helps simplify milking of the cow, the main purpose in managing a dairy herd.

It is standard industry practice in Australia to separate the calf from its dam within hours of birth to reduce the risk of disease transmission from the cow; particularly to reduce the risk of the bacterial Bovine Johnes Disease, which is transmitted through calf contact with contaminated faeces during suckling or nosing the udder.

However, Dr von Keyserlingk said it was time for industry change around using commonly accepted practices against BJD disease risk and management, and that vaccination against disease - including BJD - may be a better avoidance practice.

Dr von Keyserlingk said her research indicated proponents of cow-and-calf separation believed it should occur within hours of the birth to reduce the chance of bonding between the two animals.

This would eliminate feelings of grief from the cow or calf.

This is also the animal welfare standard for bobby calves endorsed by RSPCA Australia - to separate the cow and calf at birth before there is time to establish a bond between them.

However, an RSPCA Australia policy also states separation is stressful for both animals.

RSPCA Australia policy claims there is less abnormal behaviour in calves that have full-time or limited contact with their dams; and they are healthier, display more play and social behaviour, and tend to gain weight and have better health overall.

Of note, there are no RSPCA-endorsed dairy farms in Australia, where RSPCA policies have been enacted and audited.

Dr von Keyserlingk has also researched community attitudes towards foster cows - where a cow adopts several calves and feeds them. She said this was still more acceptable than separation.

Dr von Keyserlingk said a lot of animal welfare science was based on the general community assessing how farming practices and systems benefit the animal.

"From the animal's perspective, we need to develop systems that animals more naturally engage in," she said.

This can be in conflict with systems that enable the farm to be efficient and profitable.

"In the US, because they are facing a growing anti-dairy movement, many farmers are altering their calf-rearing practices."

Research undertaken in British Columbia concluded consumers wanted to know calves and cows had space to move, could graze outside, were not subjected to abuse or cruelty, calves were in social housing, and calves could naturally suck.

An ongoing indicator was growing public dissatisfaction with cow-calf separation, Dr von Keyserlingk said.

Many Australian dairy farm systems already enable positive animal interactions.

Calves are housed under cover and in groups, so they receive social interaction among their peers.

While some farmers use buckets to feed their calves, others use calf feeders with teats and many farmers have invested in automatic calf feeders.

"Teat sucking is preferable to bucket feeding, supporting the normal reflex and natural behaviour of the calf," Dr von Keyserlingk said.

"The calf needs to have free access to a teat, particularly in an auto-feeding system."

However, she said she would like to see more milk available to each calf.

An unexpected indicator from her research was whether calves were getting enough milk each day. Dr von Keyserlingk undertook further research.

Where there is cow-calf contact, the calf suckles more often and drinks more milk each day.

"A Holstein calf drinks up to 10 litres of milk each day, where it has contact with the cow, or is in an unrestricted ad-lib auto-feeding system.

"When calves' milk is limited to four litres/day each, they suck on each other and constantly look for more milk in the (limited) auto-feeding system.

"Limit feeding leaves calves hungry. Calves are also more susceptible to disease when they're not getting enough food.

"Ad lib feeding without limits on how much milk they can access during the day, results in calves resting more often.

"Their social interactions are also more positive."

Dr von Keyserlingk said calves fed enough milk in their first four weeks of life showed better growth and laid down lean muscle.

"They maintained that advantage in growth to 90 days."

After receiving milk for their first four weeks, these calves also had a better rumen response to hay as an effective feed for growth and nutrition.

Calves housed together were also more likely to eat calf meal or mixed feed, than single calves separated from each other. This was also a positive health outcome.

"Calves also learn to share when housed together.

"They learn positive cognitive behaviour and this extends through into maturity, when they are introduced to the milking shed.

"They are calmer to handle, are quicker to learn new behaviour and gain more weight."

This story was first published in the May-June 2023 issue of The Australian Dairyfarmer magazine.

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