Dairy farm management factors associated with clinical observations in young dairy calves sold at auction markets in Québec, Canada: A cross-sectional study

In Québec, Canada, nonreplacement calves are generally sent at a young age to auction markets to be sold for veal or dairy beef production. Various clinical observations found during the calves' journey, either at an auction market or on arrival at a calf raiser farm, have been associated with increased risk of morbidity, such as dehydration or umbilical problems. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to quantify associations between calf raising management strategies at the dairy farm level and clinical observations at auction markets during sale. For this purpose, during 8 different sale days, the 2 largest auction markets in Québec were visited, and all calves sold on those days were systematically examined. The number of clinically relevant findings (CRF) present per calf (among presence of umbilical cord, wet umbilical area, umbilical pain, umbilical swelling, persistent cervical skin fold ≥2 s, sunken eyes, eye or nasal discharge, ear drop, limb anomaly, emaciation or dirty hide) was recorded. After the sale, farm owners were contacted to answer a specific questionnaire on calf management. The total number of CRF from all sold calves from the same farm (dependent variable) was modeled using Poisson multivariable regression, with questionnaire answers as potential covariates and the number of calves sold per farm during the observation period as an offset. The questionnaire was completed during a standardized phone call and focused on farm characteristics and characteristics of calves sold, including calving management, calf care at birth, nutrition, housing, and transportation. A total of 3,656 calves from 1,349 different sellers were examined. The questionnaire information was obtained from 409 different farms representing 847 calves. The median number of calves sold per farm was 2 (range: 1–19). The umbilical cord was visually present in 376 calves (44%). Among the most commonly observed CRF, eye discharge (n = 290, 34%), umbilical swelling (n = 144, 17%), and presence of dehydration signs (persistent cervical skin fold ≥2 s [n = 111, 13%] or sunken eyes [n = 83, 9.8%]) were the most commonly reported anomalies. According to the final multivariable Poisson regression model, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of CRF for farms that sold calves at a mean age <8 d was higher than for farms that sold calves at a mean age of >10 d (IRR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04–1.41). The IRR was also higher for farms that did not give colostrum to calves within 1 h following birth compared with calves receiving colostrum within 1 to 2 h (IRR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.24–2.49), 2 to 6 h (IRR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.06–2.14) and more than 6 h (IRR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.06–2.44) after birth. The IRR were higher for farms using milk replacer to feeding sold calves versus raw milk (IRR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.06–1.37) and higher for farms where calves typically receive their last meal >3 h before transportation to the auction market versus calves receiving their last meal <1 h before transportation (IRR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04–1.53). This study provides interesting insight into farm practices that are associated with an improved clinical status of nonreplacement calves sold at auction markets for veal and beef meat.