By Cora Okkema
Calf transportation with Catie Cramer
In her Heifer Academy webinar, Catie Cramer, Ph.D. from Colorado State University explores an impactful and often overlooked piece of calf management: transportation. Time spent on the road has an impact on a calf’s health, growth and long-term success. Cramer’s approach blends data, real-world observations and practical strategies to demonstrate how improving a calf’s success when transported can be a realistic and achievable goal.
Transportation: A hidden stressor with long-term effects
Each year in the United States, millions of calves are moved between farms, calf raisers, auctions and ranches. Many are transported within the first 24 hours of life, a time when they’re especially vulnerable. Whether calves are replacements or non-replacements like dairy bulls or beef-on-dairy crosses, early transport introduces nutritional, thermal, physical and emotional stress.
Why does this matter?
Stress doesn’t just cause discomfort, it increases the risk of illness, decreases growth and lowers future productivity. For replacement heifers, this can mean lower first-lactation milk yield. For beef calves, it can result in reduced carcass quality. Calves are born without an active immune system and rely fully on maternal antibodies delivered through colostrum. Those antibodies peak at about 3–4 days but begin to decline shortly after. Meanwhile, the calf’s own immune system doesn’t kick in until 2–3 weeks of age. That creates a window of susceptibility, where calves are more prone to disease, especially if stressed during that time. Transport during this gap can amplify disease risk significantly. Calves that are dehydrated, cold or exposed to unfamiliar environments like auctions or holding areas are more likely to develop conditions like diarrhea/scours, respiratory illness or navel infections.
Calf transport realities: From dairy to destination
Here are a few eye-opening research findings Catie Cramer shared:
- In the western U.S., 64% of non-replacement calves leave the dairy before they’re even 24 hours old.
- Nearly 70% of male dairy calves pass through at least one auction.
- In a study of calves arriving at veal facilities, 96% had at least one illness upon arrival.
- Calves transported longer distances, or those who were sick before shipping, were far more likely to arrive dehydrated, depressed or in poor condition.
These statistics are the signs that transport is more than logistics, it’s intertwined with animal welfare.
Five key strategies to reduce transport-related illness and mortality in calves
Precondition the calf
- Ensure high-quality colostrum is fed ASAP after birth.
- Disinfect navels and house calves in a clean, dry space.
- Offer milk feeding close to transport and ensure access to fresh water.
Assess fitness for transport
- Only ship calves that are:
- Bright and alert
- Able to stand and walk
- Free from diarrhea, dehydration or navel swelling
- Don’t ship calves with signs of illness—even minor ones.
Handle calves with care
- Use gentle, patient handling at loading and unloading.
- Provide adequate bedding and space on trailers.
- Time transport for milder parts of the day during extreme weather.
- Ensure every calf has room to lie down, they spend up to 70% of the trip doing so.
Reconsider age and duration
- Calves transported at 7 days old or older showed better health outcomes.
- Even one extra day on the dairy reduced dehydration odds by five times
- Transport time matters: Calves on trailers longer than 16 hours had more dehydration and diarrhea.
- Distance is not equal to duration. A short trip on paper may mean hours on the trailer due to multiple pick-up routes.
Strengthen the Supply Chain
- Encourage communication between dairies and calf raisers.
- Use health reports to track trends and provide feedback.
- Consider premium pricing for calves that come with documented health protocols.
- Train staff on fitness-for-transport and handling.
In surveys, both dairies and calf raisers said they were willing to implement better practices, but there’s often a mismatch in pricing and expectations. While most agree that preconditioning calves benefits everyone, dairies asked for at least $10/head to implement, while calf raisers were typically willing to pay $5/head. This highlights a growing need for shared standards, training and accountability to bridge the gap between farms, transporters and buyers.
Calf transport isn’t only about getting animals from Point A to Point B, it’s a management practice that can either build resilience or set calves back. By implementing proven strategies before, during and after transport, caregivers can dramatically improve health outcomes, profitability and overall calf wellness.
Source : msu.edu