Overview
CalfWays, the Sustainable Dairy Calf Management Roadmap, aims to transform the management of non-replacement dairy calves in Australia by 2035. Developed by Dairy Australia in collaboration with more than 150 stakeholders, the roadmap seeks to address the challenges and unlock opportunities presented by calves that are not utilised in the dairy herd.
The CalfWays initiative focuses on ensuring all beef from dairy calves can enter valued market pathways. It serves as an overarching framework to unify and strengthen existing initiatives by the dairy and beef industries and drive further innovation across both industries in sustainable calf management.
The CalfWays Roadmap provides goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics that aim to incentivise dairy farmers to move away from early-life slaughter by creating profitable and sustainable value chains for non-replacement calves.
Dairy Australia and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have jointly invested levy funds over three years, starting in the 25-26 financial year, to implement the CalfWays Initiative under a co-innovation agreement. This funding supports an independent Chair, a Steering Committee with members from both the dairy and beef industries, and a CalfWays Co-innovation Lead within Dairy Australia’s Sustainable Dairy team. The Chair and Steering Committee will guide investment priorities and work plans based on the CalfWays Roadmap and foster industry connections. The Co-innovation Lead manages stakeholder and investor engagement, project development and implementation.
Project Lead: Dairy Australia
Project Contact: calfways@dairyaustralia.com.au
Project Status: Active
Objective alignment:
- Objective 6 — Implement industry sustainability frameworks and plans
Activity alignment:
- 6.1. Share knowledge (such as the development of benchmarks) between industries to implement industry sustainability frameworks and plans
Project updates
Future Actions
Following the CalfWays Steering Committee meeting in early February 2026, the Steering Committee are scoping and prioritising the next suite of projects and initiatives for 26-27 financial year to advance the roadmap’s goals in sustainable calf management.
February 2026
Communications and project planning activities continue to progress well. Project sponsors MLA and Dairy Australia have agreed on a joint communication plan, ensuring aligned messaging and coordinated engagement moving forward.
The CalfWays Steering Committee has met twice since project initiation, providing strategic guidance, reviewing early deliverables, and setting clear priorities for the next phase of work. CalfWays branding—reflecting the shared commitment of both organisations—has also been finalised.
Development of the CalfWays website is underway, with the site to be hosted on the MLA Hub platform. The project will house project and initiative updates, producer case studies, resources, and more.