Male calves of specialised dairy breeds are often considered as a by-product of low economic value. At present, they are either sent to veal farms-often requiring long transportation especially if the country of origin has no established veal sector-, sent to beef production units-with the problem of a low productive performance-, slaughtered at an early age, or euthanized on the farm. The mortality of male dairy calves is higher than that of female ones and that of beef calves. Biological factors can explain only part of the overmortality of male calves. Management factors are assumed to play a determining role, with less care provided to male than to female dairy calves due to their low economic value.