A long road to better welfare

Each year, large numbers of unweaned dairy calves leave Irish farms for veal and beef rearing units in mainland Europe. These calves, typically under six weeks old, face a long and complex journey by road and sea and several welfare challenges along the way.

Increasing feeding for calves prior to transport can reduce the impact of fasting, but doesn’t fully eliminate it. Photo credit: Teagasc.

Young, unweaned dairy calves are regularly transported from Irish farms to veal and beef rearing units in mainland Europe. As part of the transportation process, calves undergo a period of fasting; researchers at Teagasc Moorepark have been examining feeding strategies that may improve calf health during this transport.

The researchers compared a group of calves transported from Ireland to the Netherlands with groups of calves transported shorter distances within Ireland and within the Netherlands. Their findings showed that it is the duration of fasting, not the journey duration, that most significantly affects calf welfare. Luca van Dijk, a Walsh Scholar at Teagasc Moorepark, explains more.

“Calves subjected to long-distance export journeys had severely impacted energy balance and hydration parameters, indicating that the current transport system has markedly negative effects on calf wellbeing. However, calves transported within the Netherlands, despite the relatively short journey, also experienced long fasting periods and showed similarly poor physiological outcomes on arrival at their destination. This suggests that when calves are not fed for extended periods, even relatively short journeys can lead to significant welfare compromise.”

Despite differences in journey length, both the internationally transported calves and those moved within the Netherlands arrived with blood values outside normal reference ranges. Glucose, ketones (a by-product of fat breakdown when energy intake is low), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), which increase when calves use their fat reserves for energy, and sodium were abnormal in both groups. Lactate and potassium were particularly elevated in the internationally transported calves, suggesting muscle fatigue. Calves transported within Ireland showed more stable values by comparison. However, most of these markers returned to normal within one to three weeks, regardless of the group.

“Overall, the findings highlight that the extended periods without milk, rather than the journey duration itself, is the main driver of poor welfare outcomes in transported calves,” Luca notes.

Assessing strategies

To tackle these welfare issues, Teagasc researchers and collaborators in Wageningen University and Munster Technological University explored practical feeding strategies before, during and after transport.

One study focused on feeding calves more milk replacer before transport. One group of calves was fed two larger feeds (six litres in total, three litres the night before and three litres the morning of transport) before departure, while the other group received only a single feed of two litres the morning of transport, as was standard feeding practice at the assembly centre. The group fed six litres had better energy levels and less fat mobilisation during the journey than calves fed two litres, reflected in higher blood glucose and lower ketones. These calves were also less dehydrated at the French lairage (a rest stop for transported livestock), suggesting that a higher feed volume before departure helps calves cope better with the early stages of transport.

The same study looked at feeding calves more milk after transport. Calves fed a higher milk volume on arrival at the veal farm had better average daily weight gain over the first three weeks post-arrival, Walsh Scholar Susanne Siegmann explains.

“This suggests that welfare and productivity can be improved not only by addressing pre-transport feeding, but also by optimising nutrition during the recovery phase.”

A separate study tested the use of a prototype on-board feeding system to provide milk replacer to calves during the ferry crossing. Calves that received milk replacer on board had better physiological profiles at the French lairage compared to unfed controls: higher glucose, and lower ketones, NEFAs and lactate. They also had a tendency to lie down more four hours after feeding, suggesting they may have felt more comfortable. Although the benefits were not sustained beyond the next fasting period (i.e. after the lairage), the results suggest that feeding calves during the journey can help reduce the negative impacts of extended fasting. However, practical challenges remain, such as accessing calves within trailer pens and safely mixing and delivering milk on moving vehicles.

A calf wearing an activity sensor. Photo credit: Teagasc.

Policy and practice

These studies highlight the urgent need to reassess feeding practices for unweaned calves during long-distance transport. While current EU legislation requires calves to be fed at least every 19 hours during transport, exemptions for remote member states like Ireland mean these young animals are routinely fasted for longer.

Feeding more milk before departure and after arrival can partially reduce the impact of fasting, but does not fully eliminate it. On-board feeding systems offer promising potential but need further refinement and regulatory support. Future research at Teagasc, through the DAFM-funded WELCalf project, will aim to further refine a specialised automated system for feeding calves on board during long-distance transport.

“As public concern for animal welfare continues to grow, the dairy and transport sectors have an opportunity to lead by example,” Luca concludes. “Reducing fasting times and improving nutrition during transport not only benefits calves but also strengthens public trust and supports a more sustainable, welfare-focused dairy industry.”

Funding

This research was funded by the Dairy Levy Trust administered by Dairy Research Ireland and supported by the Teagasc Walsh Scholars Programme. The WELcalf project is funded by DAFM (RSF 2023RP897).

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Niamh Field (Teagasc) for her valuable contribution to this work. We also thank our university collaborators Gearóid Sayers (MTU), Eddie Bokkers and Kees van Reenen (Wageningen University) for their input and support, and Margaret Murray (Teagasc) for conducting the laboratory analysis. The authors gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the participating calf export company.

Contributors

Muireann Conneely, Senior Research Officer, Teagasc Moorepark.
muireann.conneely[at]teagasc.ie

Luca van Dijk, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Moorepark. 

Susanne Siegmann, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Moorepark.

Katie Sugrue, Research Technologist, Teagasc Moorepark.