Jennifer Van Os

Keeping calves cool: New ideas for hutch-housed heifers

While a variety of heat abatement options exist for cooling cows, there are limited options for cooling hutch-housed calves. However, new research shows that cooled calves perform better and stay in the herd longer.

May 11, 2026

Jimena Laporta and Jennifer Van Os

Providing active heat abatement during the preweaning period can create a cleaner hutch microclimate, help keep calves cool, improve their immune responses and even increase herd longevity through the first lactation. Our group has been exploring a solar-powered fan system for calves in outdoor hutches.

Changing the game on teaching strategies for effective cattle handling

August 7, 2025

Jennifer Van Os

Interacting directly with cows is a necessary part of dairy farming but leads to the risk of human injuries, which can be severe or even fatal. When cows are handled inappropriately, this decreases both their welfare and milk production and can also hurt public perception of dairy farming.

Getting cozy: Pair-housing calves as a potential solution to cold stress

Pair-housing calves may help reduce cold stress during winter in outdoor hutches while also improving calf welfare with social contact.

September 11, 2024

Kim Reuscher and Jennifer Van Os

A less-studied strategy to help calves cope with cold stress could be through having a companion. Pair or group housing of calves has become a popular topic of discussion over the past few decades. We conducted a study to measure if pair-housing calves in a dual hutch system could help reduce the effects of cold stress during winter. Read about the study's results.

Calves can vote too: Preferences for hutch ventilation during summer

Study shows that by 6 weeks old, calves show a significant preference for ventilated hutches, and ventilated hutches can help reduce heat stress. Additionally, pair-housed calves spent 80% of their time together.

May 6, 2024

Kim Reuscher and Jennifer Van Os

A potential consequence of the dual hutch housing system is that when calves choose to share a hutch, this could increase the risk of heat stress during warm weather. We conducted a study at the University of Wisconsin – Madison to see if this concern is warranted and to measure how calves use hutch ventilation.