Pasture-based rearing of youngstock or calves offers a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative to conventional calf management by reducing concentrate use and improving grassland utilization (Delaby et al., 2020). Further, keeping calves on pasture also supports better animal welfare, as the animals can express their natural feed intake behaviour and have a better health status (Leiber et al., 2025). Especially ethical and societal concerns surrounding male dairy calves can be mitigated, while supporting environmental goals, by raising and finishing these animals extensively on pasture for veal or beef, rather than losing organically born calves to the conventional production chain. Understanding breed-specific adaptability to pasture conditions can reform breeding and management strategies for more sustainable veal and beef production.