Overview

This Reprint aims to provide current information on nutritional and management strategies for optimizing calf health, welfare, and development during early life. This critical stage significantly affects the future health, growth, and productivity of calves and has a lasting impact on the future productivity and the sustainability of dairy systems. Contributions within this Reprint explore the effects of colostrum quality and administration, the use of probiotics and nutraceuticals to support immune function and reduce morbidity, and the role of housing and environmental factors in promoting welfare. A novel model for estimating body weight from morphometric data is also presented, accompanied by a user-friendly tool to facilitate on-farm use. A pilot study highlights how early-life disease influences fecal and nasal microbiome development, revealing that microbial assembly is largely governed by stochastic processes. The effect of dietary fiber and forage particle size under heat stress conditions is additionally examined. Together, these contributions support evidence-based approaches to improve short- and long-term outcomes in calf rearing.

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9783725841813

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