Original Source

Veterinarian Perceptions on the Care of Surplus Dairy Calves

Journal of Dairy Science

Volume: 105: 6870-6879 Issue: 8

02 JUL 2022

Hendricks, J., Weary, D. M., & von Keyserlingk M. A. G.

5

Yes

From the source: "This research was made possible, in part, by a donation from Vetoquinol Canada (Lavaltrie, Quebec, Canada). General funding for The University of British Columbia Animal Welfare Program is provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Research Chair, with contributions from Dairy Farmers of Canada (Ottawa, ON, Canada), Alberta Milk (Edmonton, AB, Canada), Saputo (Montreal, QC, Canada), British Columbia Dairy Association (Burnaby, BC, Canada), Merck (Kirkland, QC, Canada), British Columbia Cattle Industry Development Fund (Kamloops, BC, Canada), Boehringer Ingelheim (Burlington, ON, Canada), Semex Alliance (Guelph, ON, Canada), Lactanet (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada), Dairy Farmers of Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB, Canada), and SaskMilk (Regina, SK, Canada)."

From the source: "The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest."
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Summary

Researchers interviewed Canadian cattle veterinarians in focus groups to assess their perspectives on surplus calf management and their role in improving these calves’ care. The study identified two major themes: concerns about various aspects of surplus calf care, such as colostrum management (ensuring calves receive adequate milk from the mother after calving), transportation, and veterinarians’ role in working with farmers to address issues in surplus calves. Veterinarians also expressed concern related to calf euthanasia and the importance of communicating with stakeholders to manage public perception of surplus calf treatment. The study’s limitations include its focus solely on Canadian cattle veterinarians’ perspectives, a relatively small sample size, lack of direct exploration of farmers’ views, and the potentially subjective nature of qualitative data interpretation. The strengths of the researchers’ methodology include the use of a trained moderator to facilitate discussion within the focus groups and the employment of rigorous data analysis to identify themes and ensure validity. The implications of this study highlight the importance of understanding and addressing surplus calf issues from the perspectives of veterinarians, who play a crucial role in improving calf care and management practices.

Both male and female calves that are not required in the dairy herd sometimes receive inadequate care on dairy farms. Veterinarians work with farmers to improve animal care, and farmers often view veterinarians as trusted advisors; however, little is known about the attitudes of veterinarians on surplus calves. This study investigated the perspectives of Canadian cattle veterinarians on the care and management of surplus calves, as well as how they view their role in improving care. We conducted 10 focus groups with a total of 45 veterinarians from 8 provinces across Canada. Recorded audio files were transcribed, anonymized, and coded using thematic analysis. We found that veterinarians approached surplus calf management issues from a wide lens, with 2 major themes emerging: (1) problematic aspects of surplus calf management, including colostrum management, transportation, and euthanasia, and suggested management and structural solutions, including ways to improve the economic value of these calves, and (2) the veterinarian's role in advising dairy farmers on the care of surplus calves, including on technical issues, and more broadly working with farmers to better address public concerns. We conclude that veterinarians are concerned about the care of surplus calves on dairy farms and believe that they have an important role in developing solutions together with their farmer clientele.