Invited review discusses prefeedlot challenges and welfare of dairy-beef calves, highlighting nutritional needs and health implications.
Invited review: The expanding dairy-beef calf industry—Challenges and opportunities in prefeedlot nutrition, health, and welfare. By McCarthy et al., page 6655. A growing proportion of calves entering the beef supply chain originates from dairy herds, driven largely by a shrinking beef cow herd in North America and the increasing use of sexed semen in dairy production. However, limited knowledge exists surrounding the rearing of dairy-beef calves, especially in early life. These calves face stressors specific to their production system, including transportation, feed restriction, and commingling, which may affect health, performance, and welfare.
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