Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Welfare and Youngstock Nutrition

Nutrition in the first months of a calf's life has lifelong consequences for health, productivity, and welfare. Optimising youngstock nutrition is a key welfare intervention.

Key Facts

Colostrum management in the first hours of life is critical for immune function
Adequate milk or milk replacer volume supports growth and reduces stress
Early weaning onto concentrate diets causes significant welfare problems
Calf starter quality and provision affects rumen development and weaning outcomes
Social feeding and group housing improve welfare and feeding behaviour

Welfare Considerations

Early nutrition profoundly affects lifelong health and welfare. Simple improvements to colostrum management, milk provision, and weaning protocols can significantly improve outcomes for millions of calves annually.

What You Can Do

Advocate for improved youngstock nutrition standards on farms
Support welfare certification schemes with robust calf nutrition criteria
Learn about optimal calf nutrition practices
Choose dairy products from farms with strong calf welfare programmes