Cow and calf together

Can the calf be together with the cow in a system with automatic milking? How does it affect milk yield and calf growth, health and fertility? In this research project, we study how calves can be integrated into such care systems.

Close-up of a SRB calf suckling. Photo Marie Liljeholm.

About the project

The purpose of the project is to find out how calves can be integrated into management systems with automatic milking.

An SRB cow lies in a cubicle with three calves next to her. A black and white calf standing up and two SRB calves lying down next to the cow.

The barn

Here we show different layouts used for the barn during the different batches of the experiment.

Q and A

Here we collect some of the questions we often receive about the Cow and Calf Together project.

Can calves be integrated into automatic milking systems?

Is it possible to keep dairy cows and their calves together in automatic milking systems? What are the effects on milk yield, calf growth, health and fertility? Some of the cows in the dairy herd at Lövsta Agricultural Research are kept together with their calves at the beginning of lactation. The aim of the project is to test whether calves can be integrated into automatic milking systems (AMS). There is interest from farmers and consumers in keeping dairy calves together with their mothers, but there is very little support from science on how this should be done.
Youtube clip with a cow lying in a stall with two calves.

Videos

Here you can see short films about what the project is about and how it works.

Publications

Here you can find our publications from the project.

Knowledge transfer

Read about the Dairy Transform Net project

Financiers

The project is funded by Seydlitz MP Bolagen Foundation, Kjell & Märta Beijer foundation and Formas research council.