About this Event
Get Ready for Total Calf 2026!
Following the success of last year’s Total Calf conference series, Total Calf is returning this October with an expanded line-up of practical, calf-focused events across the UK and Northern Ireland.
The 2026 Total Calf Conference Series will take place from Tuesday 13th to Thursday 15th October, bringing together farmers, vets and industry professionals for practical, discussion-led events focused on improving calf health, performance and long-term profitability.
Total Calf 2026: Good Calves Don’t Happen by Accident-Unlocking Lifetime Value in Every Calf
Event Locations
- 13th October – Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, Nantwich, 11am - 2pm
- 14th October – Skitby House, Carlisle, 11am - 2pm
- 15th October – Seagoe Hotel, Portadown, 10:30am - 2pm, in conjunction with John Thompson and Sons Ltd
- 15th October – Leighinmohr House, Antrim, 7:30pm - 10:30pm, in conjunction with John Thompson and Sons Ltd
Last year’s conference series generated strong discussion around the long-term value of getting calf-rearing fundamentals right from the very beginning. As highlighted in the Farmers Guardian coverage of the event, key themes included the importance of consistency, starter intake, early-life nutrition and the long-term impact calf management can have on future performance and lactation potential.
This year’s programme will continue to build on that practical focus, with sessions designed to help farmers identify the small management details that make the biggest difference on farm.
Confirmed Speakers:
Dr Jim Quigley
We are delighted to be welcoming back Dr Jim Quigley, following the hugely positive response to his sessions at last year’s events.
Dr Quigley is recognised globally as one of the leading voices in calf nutrition and early-life calf management. Through his internationally respected Calf Notes publications, Jim has helped shape calf-rearing practices on farms across the world by translating complex research into practical, on-farm solutions that farmers can realistically implement.
His sessions are practical, engaging and commercially focused, helping farmers better understand how early-life nutrition, starter intake and rumen development directly influence calf health, growth and long-term performance.
Whether you rear 20 calves or 2,000, Jim brings practical insight and proven management principles that can make a real difference on farm.
Dr Amanda Dunn
We are thrilled to announce that Dr Amanda Dunn, Sales & Technical Manager at Bonanza Calf Nutrition, will also be joining the speaker line-up.
Amanda has spent the last 10 years working closely with calf rearers across the UK and Ireland, helping to improve calf health, nutrition and performance. Following a degree in Agricultural Technology at Queen’s University Belfast, Amanda completed a PhD at AFBI Hillsborough, focusing on calf immunity and colostrum management.
Dr Emma Bleach
We are also delighted to welcome back Dr Emma Bleach, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science in the Agriculture and Environment Department at Harper Adams University.
Emma’s main research focus is on rearing systems for the dairy-bred calf, with the aim of optimising the growth, health and well-being of calves and heifers to support sustainable dairy production. Her research includes investigations into milk-feeding options for dairy-bred calves, concentrate-feeding systems and additional feeds, with a particular interest in easing the weaning transition for the calf.
Laura McConnell
We are excited to welcome Laura McConnell - Ruminant Technical Specialist with John Thompson & Sons - bringing over 10 years’ experience in the feed industry and specialising in dairy nutrition and youngstock rearing.
Her work focuses on improving farm performance and efficiency through precision nutrition, with a particular interest in developing practical, sustainable feeding strategies. Laura will explore the Thompson Way to rearing robust, resilient heifers, focusing on nutrition and management strategies that support lifetime performance.
A key feature of this year’s events will once again be the practical, discussion-led format, focused on the small management details that can have a major impact on calf health, performance and long-term outcomes.
The goal of the Total Calf Conference Series remains simple:
Deliver practical calf-management information that farmers can immediately implement on farm.
Event venue & nearby stays
Leighinmohr House Hotel, Leighinmohr Avenue, Ballymena, United Kingdom
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