Groundbreaking project – TransformDairyNet

posted in: Dairy farming | 0

Dairy concern – cow calf separation

A welfare concern that many people have around dairy is that calves are removed from their mothers shortly or immediately after birth. This of course is so all the milk can be sold by the farmer, although other claims are often made for this practice, such as it’s safer for the calf. The males are normally sold off at a couple of weeks old (they can actually be moved off farm and go to mart at just 10 days) and many end up being exported to veal farms in Europe.

When a calf is born the mother will first produce colostrum which carries all the antibodies and good stuff a calf needs. She will continue to produce colostrum for a few days, after then the milk can be sold for human consumption. Sometimes the calf will be allowed to suckle from the mother for the first day or two, but more commonly the calf is removed immediately, the mother is milked and the calf is given the colostrum manually. Calves are born with no immunity so it is essential they get enough colostrum to provide them with all the antibodies they need. To ensure this they are often fed the colostrum by a process know as stomach tubing, where a tube is passed down through the oesophagus to the calves stomach. This procedure is very distressful for a newborn calf and can be risky if the farmer is inexperienced or rushing – for example if too much colostrum is given the stomach will overfill and the calf may inhale colostrum into the lungs causing pneumonia, and rough tubing can cause abrasions to the calf’s esophagus. After the first feed of colostrum the calf will receive transition milk for the next few days before switching to milk replacer. This all requires a lot of work by the dairy farmer, and expense. In most beef systems the calf will be fed and looked after by their mother, requiring much less work and expense for the farmer. No purchasing milk replacer and mixing up feeds, no manual feeding systems that have to be kept clean and sterile.

When the calf is removed from the cow she may display anxious and aggressive behaviour and this can be a dangerous time for farmers. The calves are often taken away immediately after birth, which can be extremely stressful for the mother. This is known as ‘snatch calving’ and is meant to make the cow think she has given birth to a stillborn calf. Many people believe this is unethical, and it also denies the cows one of the five freedoms, which all animals should be afforded as bare minimum, because they are unable to carry out natural behaviours. What is more natural than a mother caring for her young?

Growing movement – a kinder way to do dairy

However, there is another way to do dairy. There is a growing movement where the calf stays with the mother for at least three – five months. On some farms calves are allowed to wean naturally at eight or nine months. Males are also kept on the farm and reared for beef. This is a much kinder system, ensuring cows are allowed to carry out their natural behaviours. Dairy cows have been selectively bred to produce large quantities of milk, so even when feeding a calf there is still plenty to sell. Of course the quantity is significantly reduced, but there is no need to buy milk replacer, no need to buy and maintain feeding systems, no time consuming feeding of calves, particularly when new born. Plus they have an added income from beef sales.

Another option, and one curently being practised by at least one farm in Ireland, is having a nurse cow, or foster mother, to feed the calves. The way it works is the less productive cows ‘foster’ two or three calves each for approximately six months. This means the calves have an adult role model to learn social behaviours from. It still means the mother is denied her chance to care for her calf, but it is better for the calves and is definitely a step up from conventional dairy farms.

Jack Tummers/Eyes On Animals

TransformDairyNet

There is a claim that the calves are removed for their own safety, because dairy cows make terrible mothers. This is simply not true, as can be attested by the many cow calf dairy farms around the world. Currently there are none in Ireland, but a new project called TransformDairyNet by University College Dublin will hopefully change that. TransformDairyNet is a groundbreaking European project designed to revolutionize the dairy industry through Cow Calf Contact (CCC) systems. This initiative will unite farmers, researchers, NGOs, and industry experts to promote sustainable dairy practices that prioritize animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic viability. It will create a European Knowledge and Innovation Network comprising dairy farmers, veterinarians, advisors, supply chain actors, farmer organizations, researchers, and policymakers.

Separating calves from their mothers impacts the welfare of both mother and calf and has lead to increasing ethical concerns. TransformDairyNet aims to support farmers to upscale systems where calves can remain with their mothers or foster cows for an extended period, promoting natural behaviors, animal health, and welfare.

©INRAE / VEISSIER Isabelle

“Cow calf separation is a significant animal welfare challenge and ethical concern for European citizens. We are delighted to be working with pioneering farmers and others to enable more dairy cows and calves to spend time together all across Europe, making sure we’ve got a dairy sector fit for the future” Professor Siobhan Mullan (Project Coordinator)

TransformDairyNet is a response to the European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy, reflecting society’s demand for sustainable and animal-friendly food production systems. By establishing a European Knowledge and Innovation Network (EKIN), the project will share and develop CCC knowledge across borders, benefiting from the insights and experiences of innovative farmers and animal scientists.

 

The key objectives are:
• Speed up CCC Adoption: create a European network to address farmers’ needs and knowledge gaps, helping more farms leave calves with their mothers for longer.
• Share evidence-based best practice: combine scientific research with practical experience to develop and share best practices, benefiting the European dairy industry.
• Innovation through Living Labs: use national hubs to test new CCC practices & ideas addressing farmers’ needs, challenges, and opportunities as well as sustainability tool for CCC farmers, benefiting calves, cows, and farmers to meet consumer demand.
• Enhance Communication: use digital tools to spread CCC knowledge across Europe.
• Ensure Lasting Impact: work with EU FarmBook to keep sharing CCC knowledge even after the project ends.

The TransformDairyNet project will run for 36 months, until 2027.

If you would like more information or to join the EKIN, please contact the project facilitator Rachel Annan at rachel.annan@ucd.ie

Useful links:

https://transformdairynet.eu/

https://www.ucd.ie/vetmed/newsandevents/2024/transformdairynet/

https://care4dairy.eu/

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/e3m-awarded-to-eu-project-promoting-cow-calf-contact-system/

https://www.thecalfatfootdairy.co.uk/

https://www.theethicaldairy.co.uk/

https://kalver-liefde.nl/

https://www.fivefreedomsdairy.com/

Share this page

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *