A Multi-Country Synthesis of Calf Management Practices, Health Outcomes, and Antimicrobial Use: Implications for Animal Welfare and Sustainable Production

Calf morbidity and mortality remain persistent challenges for dairy and beef production systems globally, with significant implications for animal welfare, economic sustainability, and antimicrobial stewardship. This article synthesizes findings from seven recent peer-reviewed studies examining calf management practices, health outcomes, and antimicrobial use across diverse production systems in Australia, Canada, Ethiopia, Ireland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A systematic thematic analysis reveals that colostrum management practices, including timing of first feeding, volume administered, and quality assessment, consistently predict transfer of passive immunity and subsequent calf health. Housing systems demonstrating a trend away from individual pens toward group housing were documented in multiple countries, though producer perceptions of health trade-offs remain influential. Bovine respiratory disease and calf diarrhea constitute the predominant causes of morbidity and mortality, accounting for ۵۴% and ۲۰% of antimicrobial treatments respectively in Canadian herds. Key modifiable risk factors across production systems include dam parity, calving management, pen hygiene, bedding management, and ventilation. The feeding of transition milk was associated with reduced antimicrobial use, while restricted milk feeding protocols remain prevalent despite evidence supporting enhanced nutritional programs. Stakeholder perspectives from Australian value chains indicate growing recognition that early-life killing of surplus calves threatens social license to operate, emphasizing the need for collaborative, economically viable alternatives. This synthesis identifies critical leverage points for intervention, including improved colostrum management, transition milk feeding, appropriate housing design with attention to air quality, and strategic use of vaccination programs. Findings support the development of evidence-based, context-appropriate guidelines that balance calf welfare, producer livelihoods, and antimicrobial stewardship objectives

کلیدواژه ها:

colostrum management ، bovine respiratory disease ، calf diarrhea ، housing systems ، animal welfare