The 4th annual Smart Calf Rearing Conference will be held September 24-27, 2025, in Madison, Wis.
This will mark the first time the biannual global conference -- focused on both scientific and on-farm applications of raising calves -- will take place in the U.S. The event will be held on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, just prior to the 2025 World Dairy Expo, also held in Madison.
Following a welcome banquet and reception on Wednesday, September 24, Thursday and Friday’s agenda will feature noted speakers from around the world, addressing topics that include:
- Is the microbiome our secret weapon to raise healthy calves antibiotic free?
- Re-evaluating nutrition models to predict calf growth.
- Beyond passive transfer: The role of colostrum in programming immune development in calves.
- The impact of transportation on young dairy calves: New insights and a bumpy road forward.
- Data-driven nutrition, disease, and welfare management of calves: Shaping the next generation... of cows.
The final day of the conference – Saturday, September 27 – will focus on producer perspectives and hands-on demonstrations of calf management. It promises to bring science to the farm, featuring talks from calf experts on colostrum management, group housing strategies, calf health, and how to succeed with automated feeding systems. Separate registration for just the producer day is available.
A scientific poster session also will demonstrate research focusing on calf health, nutrition, physiology, and welfare.
The first 3 days of the conference will take place at University of Wisconsin Memorial Union in Madison. The final day will be held at the university’s Arlington Agricultural Research Station near Arlington, Wis.
Along with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the conference is being hosted jointly by the University of Guelph, Förster-Technik, and Trouw Nutrition. Additional support is being provided by Dairy Tech, Inc.; Lallemand Animal Nutrition; Lely; SCC: and Vita Plus.
The Smart Calf Rearing Conference will bring together scientists, industry leaders, and calf raisers, all of whom are looking into the future or raising calves. Registration is being managed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A full agenda and housing information can be accessed here.
