Individual vs. Group Housing of Dairy Calves: An Arbitrary or Provisional Rule?

The aim of this review article was to clarify some debatable aspects of calf housing and related health, growth and behavioral consequences. There are many options for housing young calves with their own advantages and disadvantages. Housing calves individually or in-group are the major two types of housing system worldwide. When producers decide to keep their calves with high comfort, choosing an appropriate housing system is one of the most common concerns. The first question that arises is ‘which one is more comfortable and economical?’ Grouping or individual housing? The answer would be multilateral and totally depend on farm equipment and facilities, feeding system, labor cost and management priorities. Control of disease transmission, easy sanitation, better growth, appearance of natural calf behavior and reasonable welfare are the main goals of a prosperous calf rearing system. Pair housing intends to mitigate some unfavorable effects of large group housing systems without negative effects on calf behavior. Each of these indices can be affected by housing type and should be considered when producers plan to build a house for calves.

Keywords: Housing; Calf health; Disease outbreak; Welfare; Economy