We want to reduce the transit time of calves between the dairy farm and the veal farm. The transit of young calves can be a stressful event and can lead to lowered immunity. For young calves, it is necessary to have at least one meal every 12 hours to stay healthy. Skipping one or even more milk meals is harmful to the calves’ immunity. Therefore the transit time has to be as short as possible, with a maximum of 12 hours. To make sure no meal is skipped. A reduction of the transit time has a positive effect on the veal calves’ welfare and health: a shorter period in a stressful environment for a young calf, and skipping no meal contributes to a better start and healthier calf.
Our goal is to reduce the transit time (including the time at the calf collection centre) to a maximum of 12 hours. In this way, no meal is skipped by the young calves.
We will start with a zero-measurement to define the number of veal calves in the Programcalf with a duration of the transit between dairy and veal farm of more than 12 hours. After identifying this, we start a project to develop a strategic plan to work together with parties such as transporters and traders on decreasing the transit time. We start doing this with the Programcalf
alf animals in the Netherlands first and aim to increase the number of calves in the program.
KPI: % of veal calves in the Dutch Programme Calves with a transit time less than 12 hours
