Many dairy producers are producing more beef-on-dairy calves, but these animals typically remain on the farm for only a short time before being moved to their next destination. This early movement often happens before calves are fully prepared for the challenges of transport, which can impact their health and performance down the line.
Transporting young calves is becoming a bigger concern, says Catie Cramer, associate professor in animal sciences at Colorado State University. She says there is still a lot to learn and that what works for one dairy might not work for another. That early preparation matters to calf buyers, who can tell when calves arrive stressed or behind, putting them at a disadvantage right from the start.
“Young calf transport is a bit of a hot topic right now,” Cramer says. “There’s still a lot we don’t know, and we need more research. Every operation is different, so decisions really need to be based on what the data shows for each farm.”
In the past, beef-on-dairy calves often didn’t receive the same level of attention as replacement heifers. While that mindset is starting to shift, Cramer notes its effects can still be seen in the data today.
On a national level, about 80% of these calves are transported off-site at less than a week of age, and many are moved even sooner.
“In a study we did, we actually found that the majority of those calves were leaving the dairy at less than 24 hours of age,” she says.
Rather than moving directly to one destination, calves often pass through multiple marketing steps before they arrive.
“Sometimes they can go through an auction or calf jockey, and they may be marketed up to four times before they reach their final destination,” Cramer says. “Each added stop increases stress, disease exposure and management challenges.”
Protecting Calves During a Vulnerable Window
Calves are often transported at a time when they’re most sensitive to stress. During their first weeks, their immune system depends almost entirely on antibodies from colostrum.
“That calf really doesn’t have high levels of fully functional active immunity until towards the end of preweaning,” Cramer says.
Because of how the immune system develops, there is a window of susceptibility, typically around 2 to 3 weeks of age, when colostrum-derived antibodies are declining and the calf’s own immune response is just ramping up. Colostrum quality and management directly shape the length and severity of that window.
“If we have excellent transfer of passive immunity, that window of susceptibility is going to be slightly shorter and that colostrum is actually going to offer protection for longer,” Cramer says. “But if we don’t do a good job at providing excellent colostrum, that window is actually longer, and it can be earlier.”
The first 24 hours of life and how colostrum is handled set the stage for how well calves can survive and thrive during transport and beyond. That’s why it’s so important for dairy producers to feed beef-on-dairy calves high-quality colostrum within the first two to four hours after birth.
The Stress Factors in Calf Transport
Transportation in livestock has long been recognized as stressful, and calves are no exception. The journey can expose them to a variety of challenges all at once, including changes in environment, handling by unfamiliar people, loading and unloading and the motion of travel itself.
Cramer points out that each of these factors can add up, and she lists a series of potential stressors that calves can face during transport:
- Extreme heat or cold
- Rough or improper handling
- Lack of bedding
- Pathogen exposure
- No access to milk or water on the trailer
“For the calf, this stress can result in dehydration, discomfort, disease, energy depletion, fear, hunger, injury, thermal stress and thirst,” she says. “All of those are not only welfare concerns, but they can affect the productivity of that animal as well.”
Challenges Start Before the Trip
Those challenges can be even greater when calves leave the farm already off to a rough start. Data from surveys and field studies show that many calves are shipped dehydrated, scouring or with inflamed navels and depressed attitudes.
In a Colorado study assessing calves at loading, most less than 24 hours old, almost half had at least one health abnormality. Survey data showed that a substantial proportion of producers would still ship calves with diarrhea, dehydration, navel inflammation or insufficient colostrum intake.
According to Cramer, these choices have predictable, serious consequences.
“If calves had naval inflammation at the source dairy, they were 2.8 times as likely to get diarrhea at the calf raiser,” she says. “If they were dull or depressed at the dairy, they were 2.5 times more likely to die at the calf raiser.”
Similar patterns show up at auctions and final destinations. One Canadian study found 20% of calves arriving at auctions had at least one serious condition such as navel disease, discharge, depression or inability to stand. A U.S. study of bob veal calves reported that 96% had at least one abnormal condition, and 82% had at least two, including low blood sugar, dehydration, thin body condition, failed transfer of passive immunity and depression. In Colorado, more than 56% of calves were dehydrated getting off the trailer.
A Road Map for Change
Cramer offers practical steps to help calves do better before, during and after transport. She shares six strategies, pointing out that the first four are “things we can and we should do now.”
- Preconditioning at the source dairy:
- Excellent colostrum management (Ex: 3 qt. at ≥25% Brix within two hours, followed by 2 liters at ≥22% Brix 12 hours later.)
- Rigorous navel disinfection and clean environments to prevent umbilical infections.
- Providing milk and water as close to loading as possible.
- Assessing fitness for transport:
Calves should only be shipped when they are well hydrated, vigorous, able to stand and have received high-quality colostrum and navel care. - Handling with care and providing adequate bedding and lying space:
Calves under a week of age spend over 70% of their time on the trailer lying down, so every calf must have space and deep, dry bedding. Timing shipments to avoid thermal extremes and adjusting bedding and ventilation accordingly can further reduce stress. - Post-transport care:
When calves arrive, they should be checked carefully and given the care they need instead of automatically getting antibiotics. Cramer says research shows feeding milk replacer with electrolytes for the first two days after transport keeps them better hydrated and gives more energy than electrolytes alone.
The final two strategies are more challenging but potentially transformative:
- Retaining calves on the source dairy longer:
Studies show calves transported at ≥7 days of age have better average daily gain and lower respiratory disease than those shipped at 2 to 6 days. In a U.S. study, each extra day at the dairy reduced the odds of dehydration before transport fivefold. - Reducing transport duration and number of events:
Longer trips can lead to dehydration, weight loss and diarrhea that can last up to two weeks. Cramer says distance doesn’t always match travel time, as pickup routes can keep calves on trailers for many hours longer than the direct trip.
Next Steps
Cramer emphasizes improving outcomes for beef-on-dairy calves starts with better communication across the supply chain, clear training for those handling calves and a shared commitment to reducing stress at every stage.
“Transportation in early life can create a bottleneck for calf health and performance,” she says, “but careful management can reduce stress and help calves thrive if we do things right.”
