Calf housing research reveals gains in health and performance

Focused on enhancing calf outcomes, the project shows daily live weight gains of up to 150g for youngstock housed in the purpose-built calf rearing shed at High Skeog Farm in Dumfries and Galloway. 

As well as improved growth, lung scans have recorded a significant reduction in the severity of lung lesions, indicating fewer pneumonia scars which can impede long-term development and potential milk production. 

Galebreaker’s technical director, Andrew Gardner, believes the research shows the scale at which an optimised environment can impact health, productivity and labour economics. 

He said: “A calf’s early life sets the trajectory for a productive lifetime, yet housing is frequently the missing piece in youngstock health. The CEVEC team are thrilled to have delivered a comprehensive evidence base for improved welfare, as well as better farm efficiencies.

“Not only does automated-monitoring and environmental controls facilitate better health outcomes, the building’s design also significantly reduces labour. On a four-pen building (65 calves), labour savings amount to £60,136 annually, reducing labour costs by more than 80% compared to the previous individual hutch system.”

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The findings are supported by Ross Vance, the owner of High Skeog. He said: “CEVEC hasn’t just saved us time – it’s made our management of our labour much more flexible. By being able to check on the calves remotely, unless there is anything urgent, we can focus on milking first, then come back to the calves later with the same team.”

The research’s economic evaluation indicates the CEVEC system will deliver a payback period of four to five years, with the potential for greater financial benefits over time through increased milk yield and reduced calf mortality. 

With ROI achievable in under five years, the project also showed how the new scalable building design can help lower a farm’s carbon footprint through projected improvements to lowering calf mortality, age at first calving and improved milk yields. 

“Estimates show that longer-term milk production emissions could be reduced by up to 5%. Overall, the CEVEC building delivers positively for sustainable farming practices and is an economically viable solution for dairy and beef farmers looking to make sizeable health, welfare and operational gains,” Mr Gardner added.

The project has been funded by the Digital Dairy Chain’s Collaborative Research & Development Grant Competition, which is managed and awarded independently by UK Research and Innovation. 

SRUC’s research team leader, prof. Carol-Anne Duthie, added: “This funding stream has supported an important collaboration between industry and academia and has enabled R&D to be delivered at scale in a commercial farming environment.

“In leading the research trials at High Skeog, SRUC has provided a comprehensive assessment of this innovation. We have quantified the health, productivity, labour and environmental improvements that can be achieved through the adoption of CEVEC, which is important for a sector where health management is a real challenge. Driving improvements during the early life stages is critical for setting the animal up for success in later life.”

The groundbreaking data will be shared through a webinar hosted by Digital Dairy Chain on 11th February between 10am and 11.30am. Farmers looking to optimise calf rearing while reducing operational costs can register to attend via EventBrite to better understand how the building can be commercially scaled for herds of varying sizes.

“The project has been an important step forward in the pursuit of more efficient and sustainable farming practices. The findings support the commercial adoption of innovative systems that can lead to more resilient farming operations through optimised livestock environments,” Mr Gardner concluded.

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