DairyTalk 666: Fewer Health-Related Exits: Does Social Calf Rearing Build More Resilient Heifers? - by Helmut Demmelhuber

DairyTalk by Helmut Demmelhuber · Sep 17, 2026 · 22m

This podcast episode is based on a scientific study examining whether calf housing during the first two months of life can influence performance much later in the dairy production cycle. Compared with individually housed calves, animals reared with social contact showed higher milk production and were less likely to leave the herd for health-related reasons during their first lactation. Improved preweaning growth explains part of the difference, but the findings also point toward a behavioral effect, with early social experience potentially helping animals cope more effectively with future…