Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Heifer Development and Welfare

How heifers are raised from weaning through to first calving significantly affects their lifetime welfare, productivity and longevity in the dairy or beef herd.

Key Facts

Heifers that calve too young (under 22 months) have higher dystocia rates and lower survival
Adequate growth rates without obesity are the target for heifer development
Social housing of heifers promotes normal behaviour and reduces stress
Age at first calving affects lifetime milk production and cow welfare
Body condition monitoring throughout heifer development guides nutritional management

Welfare Considerations

Heifer development is an investment in the lifetime welfare of future breeding animals. Heifers that are too small at first calving suffer from dystocia; those that are too fat face metabolic disease risks. Appropriate nutrition, social housing and health monitoring throughout development produces cows that begin their productive life in optimal condition for good welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Advocate for heifer development standards in dairy welfare codes of practice
Support farms with systematic heifer growth monitoring programmes
Choose dairy products from farms demonstrating good heifer welfare and retention rates