Reevaluation of the Practice of Immediate Separation of Newborn Calves From Their Dam
Principal Investigator: Sabine Mann
Co-PI: Matthias Wieland
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
Following traditional recommendations, most dairy farmers separate a cow from her calf immediately after birth. This is done to harvest milk for income to the farm, but also out of concern for cow and calf disease risk, and to prevent the formation of a bond between the pair. This research addresses consumer welfare concerns and lack of data regarding practices of cow-calf separation.