The welfare of newborn dairy calves in the first days of life depends critically on colostrum management, housing conditions, and how separation from their mothers is handled.
Neonatal calf welfare involves acute suffering at separation and the ongoing challenges of housing calves appropriately through the pre-weaning period. The vocalisation and searching behaviour of both cows and calves after separation provides clear evidence of distress. Early removal reduces the intensity of distress compared to delayed separation, but both calf and cow experience it acutely. Individual housing prevents disease transmission but creates social isolation for a gregarious species. Pair housing and group calf housing better meet social needs but require careful management to prevent disease spread. Extended suckling systems offer the most welfare-positive approach but require significant farm-level adaptation. Consumer demand for higher-welfare dairy products is the primary driver of these changes.