**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY, THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN UNCOVERING EARLY LIFE PREDICTORS OF IMPROVED LONGER-TERM PERFORMANCE AND WELFARE OUTCOMES, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR ADDRESSING THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF RAISING REPLACEMENT DAIRY HEIFERS, AND PUBLIC CONCERNS AROUND ANIMAL WELFARE. EARLY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS MAY PLAY A ROLE IN A HEIFER'S ABILITY TO ADAPT TO A NEW ENVIRONMENT AND MAY INFLUENCE REPRODUCTIVE OUTCOMES. THE GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO EXAMINE EARLY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN GROUP-HOUSED CALVES AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY WILL TEST WHETHER EARLY SOCIAL CONNECTIONS CAN PREDICT FUTURE STRESS RESPONSES, GROWTH, REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS, AND PRODUCTIVITY. WE EXPECT THAT EARLY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS MAY PROVE USEFUL AS A TOOL TO PREDICT LONG-TERM OUTCOMES, INCLUDING AGE AT FIRST CALVING AND LACTATIONAL PERFORMANCE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WORK WILL LEAD TO TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES IN HOW ANIMAL WELFARE IS EVALUATED AND PREVENTATIVELY ADDRESSED, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR ADDRESSING THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF RAISING REPLACEMENT DAIRY HEIFERS AND SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY OF THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.