The way all calves are cared for on dairy farms can have major and long-lasting effects not only at the farm level but throughout the entire industry, where issues such as animal welfare, animal diseases and food safety can have significant consequences.

This project aims to ensure all calves are reared well and managed to meet agreed industry practices and standards, it will address the following questions: Do calves that more successfully adapt to the ruminant state (as measured by performance pre-weaning and post-weaning i.e health and growth) have differences in rumination as determined by ear tag sensors? Are these changes related to differences in the ruminal microbiome? Do these changes in performance relate to development of rumination.