How dairy heifers are reared from birth to first calving determines their lifelong health, productivity and welfare - yet this period often receives insufficient attention.
Heifer rearing is foundational to dairy cow welfare yet is frequently treated as a low-priority area of farm management. Welfare problems during the rearing period - respiratory disease, scours, under-nutrition, poor socialization and inadequate preparation for the milking environment - create cascading health problems in first and subsequent lactations. Research shows heifers that experience health challenges in the first two months of life have measurably worse welfare outcomes as adults. Conversely, well-reared heifers transition more smoothly to lactation, require less veterinary treatment and maintain better body condition. Investing in heifer welfare is both ethically and economically sound.