Turning data into better decisions for growth, health and welfare in dairy calves through precision livestock technology
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EmailPrecision tools are helping dairy farms move beyond herd averages by tracking growth, health and behavior in real time to make smarter, calf-focused decisions that improve welfare, weaning and long-term performance.
Raising healthy, high-performing heifers has always required a careful balance of nutrition, health management and environmental control. Precision livestock technology offers new ways to fine-tune the balance between management and animal well-being, moving beyond herd averages to focus on individual calf success. In a MSU Extension webinar session led by João Costa, Ph.D., he shared how data-driven tools can help dairy producers rethink calf management, improve outcomes, and make smarter decisions every day.
From group management to individual care with precision technology
Precision technology isn’t a silver bullet, but when used effectively, it transforms how producers manage calves. Instead of relying on group-level observations, sensors and automated systems allow farms to monitor each calf’s intake, behavior, and health in real time and over periods of time. This shift helps managers not only see if calves are performing well but also understand why some thrive while others fall behind. Costa emphasized that his team’s work focuses on building systems that empower producers, not replace them. The goal is simple: use technology as a tool to enhance human decision-making, improve welfare, and catch problems before they escalate.
Rethinking growth: it’s about more than the average
Growth monitoring on farms begins and ends with reporting Average Daily Gain (ADG). But Costa challenges producers to dig deeper. Instead of asking, “What’s our average?” he suggests asking:
- How many calves are actually hitting the growth targets?
- How wide is the gap between top and bottom performers?
ADG is more than just a number, it’s a reflection of nutrition, health, environment, and genetics. A common benchmark is for calves to triple their birth weight by weaning, which typically means gaining around 2.4 lbs./day (1.1 kg./day). By using software tools or even simple Excel models, farms can compare expected growth against actual performance, helping identify underperforming calves early and provide targeted interventions. Growth modeling tools, such as those provided on the Extension Foundation website, allow producers to simulate how calves should grow based on diet and intake data. When actual weights start to diverge from these predictions, it’s a clear signal to investigate. For example, calves falling below expected growth after week three often point to issues like poor starter intake or undiagnosed illness. By comparing actual farm data to modeled expectations, farms can catch these setbacks sooner, improving both short-term gains and long-term productivity.
The hidden cost of early-life disease
Illness in young calves doesn’t just cause temporary setbacks, it can have lasting impacts on growth and future performance. Costa’s team examined data from over 2,500 calves which showed that each day with diarrhea significantly reduced ADG, and when respiratory disease was added to the mix, the effects compounded. Tracking disease events at the individual level allows producers to better understand how health challenges translate to lost growth and production. This information can then inform management strategies, vaccination protocols and nutritional support to minimize long-term impacts.
It’s not always the calf, sometimes it’s the farm
While individual genetics and health play a major role in calf development, Costa highlighted that around 30% of growth variation can be traced back to farm-level factors. During the webinar, Costa shared preliminary data from 140 farms which revealed that housing conditions, feed handling, ventilation, and consistency in care routines all contribute significantly to calf performance. Calves can struggle through weaning if they are not consuming enough starter grain when milk is reduced. Costa advocates for a personalized weaning strategy, where milk is gradually decreased only after a calf consistently meets specific starter intake targets. This “self-weaning” approach led to improved grain consumption, smoother transitions, and heavier calves post-weaning, all without increasing overall milk use. Some calves were even able to wean themselves in as little as 10 days. This insight alone reinforces the importance of evaluating not just the animal, but also the environment and protocols supporting it.
Behavioral data: The next frontier in calf management
Looking ahead, Costa sees potential in using behavioral data, including activity levels, feeding patterns and playfulness, as indicators of calf welfare and future performance. Early research suggests that playful calves may be healthier and more resilient, opening doors for precision tools that track behavior to detect stress or illness before clinical signs appear. Costa cautions producers to avoid adopting technology just because it’s new or flashy.
Instead, he recommends a simple checklist before investing:
- Will we use it consistently?
- Will it improve something meaningful on the farm?
- Does it solve a real problem we’re currently facing?
Build your toolbox with your calves and calf care team in mind
Whether it’s disease detection, feed monitoring or behavior tracking, the best technological investments are those that directly support better decision-making and animal care. At its core, precision livestock technology should enhance, not complicate, calf management. The ultimate goal is to create systems where individual performance, health and welfare drive decisions, rather than relying on outdated herd averages or gut feelings. By combining nutrition data, disease tracking, growth models and behavioral insights, producers can build more flexible, responsive programs that support each calf’s potential, leading to healthier animals, better productivity and a more sustainable future for dairy operations.
