Weighing in on Weaning : Benchmarking Calf Growth on Dairy Farms

Abstract

Elizabeth Russell was a finalist in the 2026 UBC Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. Elizabeth presented the research titled “Weighing in on Weaning: Benchmarking Calf Growth on Dairy Farms.” Dairy calves experience several early-life events that can influence their welfare, including weaning, the transition from milk to solid feed. Calves that struggle during this transition may experience reduced growth. While controlled research has identified best practices for managing weaning, little is known about how calves cope with weaning on commercial dairy farms. The aim of this research was to use benchmarking to help farmers assess calf weight gain relative to others in their region. Elizabeth Russell is completing a PhD in Applied Animal Biology in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems under the supervision of Drs. Dan Weary and Nina von Keyserlingk. #3MT is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. For more information or to participate in UBC’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) visit https://3mt.grad.ubc.ca.