How dairy replacement heifers are reared in their first two years profoundly affects their subsequent productivity, health, and lifetime welfare. Early life nutrition, socialisation, and disease management all have lasting consequences.
Heifer rearing welfare begins at birth. Immediate colostrum provision within 2 hours of birth is non-negotiable for immune function. The social environment matters enormously: pair or group housing from the earliest weeks allows normal social development and reduces stereotypic behaviours compared to individual housing. Weaning remains a major welfare challenge - abrupt weaning causes several days of intense vocalisation and reduced feed intake. Gradual or stepped weaning, or weaning with a fence-line contact period, significantly reduces stress. Outdoor access during rearing provides environmental enrichment and reduces respiratory disease. Ensuring heifers reach appropriate body weight and condition at first service and calving prevents the metabolic diseases that cause so much suffering in the first lactation.