Structural features of partitions between individually housed calves

It is common practice in the dairy sector to separate calves from their dam shortly after birth and to keep them in individual pens during the first weeks of life. This routine, however, disregards the social nature of bovine species and strongly restricts or even rules out social contact between a calf and other adult or young conspecifics.

The Directive 2008/119/EC specifically refers to visual and tactile contact. In this Thematic Factsheet, the biological needs of calves, legal requirements and focus areas for inspection are described.