By Andi Anderson
Raising healthy dairy calves takes more than nutrition and care—it now includes data. Precision livestock technology is changing how farmers monitor and manage calves, moving from herd-wide averages to real-time tracking of each animal’s growth, health, and behavior.
In a recent webinar hosted by Michigan State University Extension, Dr. João Costa explained how tools like automated sensors, growth modeling, and disease tracking help farmers make better daily decisions.
Instead of guessing why a calf underperforms, farmers can now identify specific causes—such as illness or low feed intake—and respond quickly.
One major point Costa raised was rethinking how growth is measured. Many farms focus on average daily gain (ADG), but Costa recommends digging deeper: How many calves actually reach target weight? How big is the gap between best and worst performers? With digital tools or even simple Excel sheets, farms can model expected growth and compare it to actual performance. If a calf lags behind after week three, it could signal health issues or low grain intake.
Health data is equally important. Costa’s research shows diseases like diarrhea and respiratory illness greatly reduce calf growth.
Tracking these events helps farms fine-tune care, nutrition, and vaccination plans. Even farm-level routines and housing conditions affect growth—about 30% of variation is linked to environment.
Weaning strategies also matter. Costa supports “self-weaning,” where milk is reduced only after a calf consistently eats enough grain. This smooths the transition, improves weight gain, and avoids overuse of milk. Some calves can self-wean in just 10 days.
Looking forward, Costa sees behavioral data as a powerful tool. Calves that are playful and active may be healthier. Technology can help detect stress early—before it’s visible.
The key takeaway? Choose tech that fits your farm’s real needs and supports better decisions. By combining health, nutrition, growth, and behavior insights, farmers can raise healthier calves and build more sustainable dairy operations.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ahavelaar
Categories: Michigan, Livestock