Differences in non-replacement dairy calf health and sale price between calves sold at livestock auctions and directly to calf raisers

Non-replacement dairy calves are a result of breeding dairy cows to initiate lactation but are typically extraneous to the needs of the farms and thus are commonly sold during early life. The majority of non-replacement dairy calves are sold through auction or directly to calf purchasers. Some previous research has suggested that non-replacement dairy calves may be managed differently by producers depending on their route of sale. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate whether calf health and sale price differed between routes of sale and if calf health status influenced sale price. A total of 212 non-replacement dairy calves were enrolled in this cross-sectional study at a single livestock auction (n = 106) and 6 dairy farms (n = 106) in Central, WI. Calves sold through an auction were assessed at the auction (n = 63) and on their farm of birth before sale (n = 43) and all calves sold directly were assessed at their farm of birth before sale (n = 106). Calves were evaluated for signs of dehydration, diarrhea, respiratory disease, and a single blood sample was collected to measure serum total protein to assess failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI). Sale price was recorded for all calves, and calves sold at auction were weighed using a digital scale. Calves sold at auction were more likely to have FTPI and diarrhea than those sold directly. The average sale price was not different between calves sold via an auction or directly. However, the sale price at auction was determined by calf weight, and calves sold directly had set prices from the purchaser that were based on breed and sex characteristics. At the livestock auction, calf prices were higher for beef × dairy than Holstein calves but did not vary by sex. Health status did not influence calf sale price. Although this study has a limited sample size, it identified that calves had different health statuses at the point of sale depending on whether they were sold via auction or directly.