Short- and long-distance transport: health, survival and growth of preweaned dairy and dairy-beef cross calves

This retrospective observational study investigated the impact of transport duration—ranging from thirty minutes to twenty-four hours—on the survival, health, and weight gain of over 390,000 dairy and dairy-beef cross calves. Transported at an average age of just over three days, the calves demonstrated a very low initial mortality rate of 0.015% upon arrival at the raising facilities, which showed no statistical correlation with the length of their journey. Although overall mortality at weaning fluctuated across the different transport groups, the researchers determined that these differences were driven by underlying early-life variables rather than the travel time itself. Key factors such as the failure to transfer passive immunity, maternal parity, and early diseases like pneumonia and diarrhea were the true determinants of calf survival and growth. Ultimately, the study concludes that foundational health and management practices in a calf’s early life play a significantly larger role in its long-term wellbeing than the duration of transport. Read the full article in Journal of Animal Science.