For more than a decade, Whitney Knauer’s research mission has been crystal clear: to improve the welfare of young ruminants. As a veterinarian and associate professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, she has spent years exploring how the dairy industry can optimize the health, growth, and overall well-being of newborn animals.

Her latest study with long-time collaborator Beth Ventura (Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine), recently published in the Journal of Dairy Science, takes a deep dive into a cultural shift quietly gaining momentum across the industry: the transition from individual to social calf housing.

While the science overwhelmingly shows that calves raised with a "buddy" experience better cognitive development, quicker learning, and improved weight gain, making the switch on a working farm isn't as simple as opening a gate. To understand the practical realities of this transition, Knauer and Ventura went straight to the industry’s most trusted advisors: practicing dairy veterinarians.

Balancing health and behavior

The survey gathered insights from 157 practicing dairy veterinarians across the United States and Canada. Because veterinarians are on the front lines of animal care, their boots-on-the-ground experiences are invaluable for understanding what actually works on a commercial dairy operation.

The survey revealed a strong consensus that transitioning away from individual housing is highly achievable, with nearly 67% of surveyed veterinarians viewing the shift to a social model as either somewhat or extremely feasible.

However, practitioners noted that success depends heavily on scale, identifying pairs and small groups—ideally under 8 to 10 calves—as the true "sweet spot" for producers. This management style allows operations to capture the crucial cognitive and behavioral benefits of calf socialization while still maintaining the strict disease control that individual pens traditionally provided.

Ultimately, these practitioners see a major shift on the horizon. Looking 20 years into the future, nearly two-thirds (63%) of the veterinarians surveyed believe that some form of social housing will become the standard industry practice for preweaning calves.

Supporting producers where they are

For decades, individual calf housing has been the standard in the U.S. and Canada for a vital reason: disease control. Calves are vulnerable, and isolating them makes it much easier to monitor individual health and prevent the spread of respiratory issues or scours (a severe and highly contagious form of diarrhea in newborn calves).

Dr. Knauer emphasizes that this research isn't about forcing sudden changes on producers, but rather about providing them with the tools and blueprints to succeed if and when they choose to transition.

"Transitioning to social housing can be challenging," says Dr. Knauer. "If a farm is already struggling with calf health in individual pens, putting them into groups will only magnify those challenges. We need to take care of colostrum management, make sure we're optimizing nutrition, and make sure our disease detection is up to par. Those are the foundational baselines for group success."

Veterinarians noted that pair housing often serves as an excellent, low-risk step for hesitant producers. It delivers the socialization calves crave without requiring massive infrastructure overhauls or the complex feeding dynamics of large automated groups.

Importantly, the study highlights how a successful social housing system can boost farm morale. Vets noted that seeing calves thrive, play, and interact together frequently results in happier, more satisfied calf workers.

Looking ahead

This veterinary survey is just the first piece of a larger puzzle. Knauer and Ventura are currently analyzing data from a companion study involving focus groups and individual interviews with dairy producers right here in the Upper Midwest. This follow-up work will contrast veterinary perspectives with the lived, daily experiences of the farmers themselves, looking closely at labor shifts and the economics of raising calves.

Knauer's passion for young ruminants doesn't stop with dairy calves. Backed by her drive to address open challenges in animal agriculture, her lab is also heavily involved in groundbreaking welfare research for dairy goat kids.

Currently, her team is working with Poplar Hill Dairy Goat Farm in Minnesota to evaluate novel pain-management protocols and local anesthetics for disbudding (horn bud removal). By using high-tech thermal cameras and evaluating the emotional states of goat kids, Knauer hopes to establish clear, practical best practices for a sector of agriculture that has historically been under-researched.

Whether working with a newborn calf in a pair-pen or a young kid on a goat dairy, Knauer’s research continues to build bridges between scientific welfare ideals and practical, economically sustainable on-farm realities for producers in Minnesota and beyond.