Appreciating Cow–Calf Contact: Evaluating Prospective Consumer Segments in Germany Through Cluster Analysis of Alternative Calf-Rearing Systems

This dataset stems from a study investigating public acceptance and evaluation of alternative calf-rearing systems during the first weeks of life. The background of the study lies in growing public concern about early cow–calf separation and individual calf housing in dairy production. In response, alternative systems, especially cow–calf contact (CCC) systems such as foster cow rearing and dam rearing, are gaining attention.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptance of five calf-rearing systems—individual housing, pair housing, early group housing, foster cow rearing, and dam rearing—and to identify promising consumer segments for products from CCC systems. To this end, an online survey was conducted in August 2023 with 996 participants aged 16 and above from Germany. The sample was recruited through a professional panel provider and was quota-representative regarding gender, age, federal state (region), income, and education.

The dataset includes ratings of acceptance for each rearing system, sociodemographic characteristics, and items related to attitudes toward farm animal welfare, cow–calf bonding, and dairy production.