The welfare of dairy heifers during the rearing period profoundly shapes their health and productivity as adult cows, yet rearing welfare often receives less attention than that of producing animals.
Heifer rearing welfare is investment in future adult cow welfare — social skills developed during rearing affect how well heifers integrate into adult herds, manage hierarchy competition, and cope with the stress of first calving. Heifers reared in isolation show higher stress responses when mixed with unfamiliar animals, greater difficulty at first calving, and poorer adaptation to adult feeding competition. The transition from heifer to first-lactation cow is a period of particular vulnerability — young animals in first lactation face metabolic demands they have no experience managing. Good rearing welfare creates more resilient adult cows.