Dairy Calf Welfare | RSPCA Certified

Non-Replacement Dairy Calves

In the production of dairy products, a calf needs to be born for a cow to produce milk.

What happens to that calf next is dependent on their sex and the farming operations. If the calf is female, they may be reared to become milking cows to go into the dairy herd later in life. If the calf is male, or an unwanted female, they may be killed on farm, go to slaughter at around five days old, or be reared to an older age as veal or beef animals.

This is just one of many complex welfare issues in the Australian dairy industry.

Consistent standards of care could go a long way to raising calf welfare

RSPCA Certified
Dairy Calves

With the release of the RSPCA Australia Standard for Non-Replacement Dairy Calves the RSPCA is encouraging farmers to raise non-replacement dairy calves to higher-welfare standards.

Consumer demand for dairy veal or dairy beef has the potential to help reduce the number of bobby calves treated as by-products of dairy farming.

View The Standard Be Involved

“There is always more work to be done, and RSPCA Australia will continue to engage with industry, government and the public to advocate for more improvements.”

Providing a Pathway

While there are currently no producers certified to the RSPCA Australia Standard for Dairy Calves, we have been liaising with the dairy industry to encourage them to work with the beef industry and find a solution that gives these calves a pathway rather than being killed at such a young age.

We encourage those interested in producing RSPCA Certified dairy veal or beef to get in touch with us, or if you are a dairy purchaser and want your favourite dairy brand to do more for calves see these easy questions to ask.

Questions To Ask Be Involved

Legal requirements for Dairy Calves

Whether calves born to dairy cows are destined to join the dairy herd or not, it’s important that special consideration is given to their vulnerability as young animals, and that they are cared for in a way that meets their specific needs. This is where having enforceable and consistent standards of care could go a long way to raising calf welfare.

There is always more work to be done, and RSPCA Australia will continue to engage with industry, government and the public to advocate for more improvements.

For more information about the RSPCA’s work in farm animal welfare visit the RSPCA website.

Legal minimum	RSPCA Certified
There is no legal requirement for colostrum provision	Colostrum must be provided to facilitate successful passive transfer of immunity. Calves must be fed 4 litres of colostrum over 2 feeds in the first 12 hours of life, and 2 litres in the following 12 hours.
Not legally required. May be housed individually.	Calves must be group housed.
there is no legal requirement for dietary requirements. The same hay can be used for bedding as well as their feed.	Calves over 21 days must be given chopped hay in their diet. This needs to be supplied separately to bedding and environmental enrichment.
there is no legal requirement for environment enrichment.	Before given outdoor access at 8 weeks, calves must be provided with long hay as environmental enrichment.