Veal calf barn winter environmental control

A three-year veal calf study is underway where a primary objective is to characterize and quantify different facility designs (e.g., ventilation, waste management, rearing systems) and correlate these with calf health, behavior, growth, and carcass traits. Currently, intensive characterization of the total environment at four farms over two production cycles is being performed. This paper outlines the ventilation system characteristics and management styles that are currently in use by three of these producers. Preliminary data indicate that the calves are growing well despite high relative humidity and lower than desirable temperatures in the barns.