The economic effects of suckling and milk feeding to calves in dualpurpose dairy and beef farming

Leif Jarle Asheim (), Julie Føske Johnsen, Øystein Havrevo, Cecilie Marie Mejdell and Ann Margaret Grøndah
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Leif Jarle Asheim: Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, N-1431 Ås, Norway
Julie Føske Johnsen: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, N-0106 Oslo, Norway
Øystein Havrevo: Nortura Rudshøgda, N-2360 Rudshøgda, Norway
Cecilie Marie Mejdell: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, N-0106 Oslo, Norway
Ann Margaret Grøndah: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, N-0106 Oslo, Norway et Norwegian University of Life Sciences, N-1432 Ås, Norway

Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, 2016, vol. 97, issue 4, 225-236

Abstract: The study examines the economics of different calfrearing systems and considers effects of suckling and milkfeeding on production, health and welfare of dairy cows andgrowth, milk and feed use, health and welfare of calves. Theeconomics of (i)no suckling, (ii)suckling for 3 days, (iii)suckling for 7 weeks, all assuming milk or milk replacer feduntil weaning at 13 weeks, was compared with (iv)sucklingfor 13 weeksand no milk feeding. A linear programming (LP)model, maximizing profit on a dual purpose dairy-beef farm inlowland eastern Norway, was used for the comparison. Detailson calf rearing methods, labor, weaning age, intake of milk,and solid feed were gathered for a sample of organic farms andgrouped according to the length of the suckling period. Thedata were coupled with the National Dairy Herd RecordingSystem (NDHRS) using cross-sectional data for the years2008–2013. The results of the model study showed that suck-ling up to at least 7 weeks and longer than on most farms in thesurvey, had a positive influence on the farm economics. Thiswas due to the positive influence on calf growth and health aswell as lowered costs. Consequently, dual purpose dairy-beeffarmers should be careful to sacrifice calf suckling and restrictcalf milk feeding. Long suckling until weaning at 13 weekswas, however, unprofitable.

Keywords: Calfgrowth.Nursing.Milkration.Profitability.Health.Animal; welfare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:rae:jouraf:v:97:y:2016:i:4:p:225-236

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