Supporting Dam-Calf Contact Rearing in Dairy Production

The Vontobel Foundation is supporting the MuKa Center in 2024 and 2025 in its efforts to promote a gentle and sustainable form of dairy farming.

The MuKa Center is an initiative of the “Förderverein Mutter-Kalb-Haltung,” an association advocating for the improvement of animal welfare by promoting and spreading species-appropriate, natural, and sustainable cow and calf rearing practices in dairy production. This approach takes into special consideration the fundamental needs of the animals as well as the health of both humans and animals.

Dam-calf rearing is a method in dairy production where newborn calves are not separated from their mothers, called “dams.” It is the most natural form of calf rearing: this way, all female and male calves stay with their mothers for 12 weeks or longer, feeding directly from the udder. Unlike dam-calf rearing in meat production, the cows continue to be milked, and the milk is sold or further processed.

Calves that have contact with their mothers and can feed directly from the udder show very good growth rates and exhibit natural social behavior. If calves drink enough colostrum and milk from their mother right from birth, she supplies them with the necessary antibodies to protect them from pathogens, which helps them develop a strong immune system, making them healthy and resilient.

On the other hand, early separation causes significant distress for both the dairy cow and her calf, as well as for the farmers, and often leads to sick animals with a high need for antibiotics. Residues of these antibiotics end up in the soil and groundwater, negatively impacting biodiversity and making bacteria more resistant. Through its transition project, the MuKa Center supports farmers across Switzerland in transitioning to contact rearing, trains veterinarians on the topic, and develops recommendations and training materials for a successful transition.