When is the problem truly ‘solved’? Australian public attitudes towards future scenarios addressing early life killing of surplus dairy calves

To better understand factors that contribute to social acceptability of surplus dairy calf management, we conducted a survey of the Australian public. Participants’ attitudes were more favorable towards future scenarios where, as an alternative to being killed in the first days of life, surplus calves were raised for beef at pasture. Participants were less favorable towards scenarios where the animals were raised in a feedlot. Our results indicate that while directing surplus calves away from early life killing is an important first step, attention should also be paid to public acceptance of how animals are managed in beef production systems.