Supplementary Materials for

This is the Supplementary Material for the publication titled “We had to learn by trial and error”: Perceptions and attitudes of committed adopters of dam-calf contact in the USA and Canada.In this study, researchers interviewed 18 dairy producers from 12 different farms in the USA and Canada. These producers are committed adopters of the dam-calf contact rearing practice. The aim was to understand their perceptions and attitudes towards this calf rearing method. Using an applied thematic analysis, 4 themes were identified: Farm-level considerations, Animal behavior and emotions, Animal health and productivity, and The outside world. Although challenging at implementation, participants expressed satisfaction with the practice and wished to retain it on their respective operations.