Environmental enrichment for dairy cows and calves has gained interest with increased focus on animal well-being. Much of the focus with cows has been with mechanical brushes, but broader research has been conducted with calves with less in-field use. Also, limited research has occurred to address enrichment with mechanical brushes for calves in comparison to adult cows. Wilson et al. (Applied Animal Behavior Sci; 76:259, 2002) highlighted the importance of grooming tools, such as mechanical brushes, and revealed that enrichment tools for scratching purposes are used most among the items studied and have sustained interest for feedlot cattle. DeVries et al. (J. Dairy Sci. 90:2241, 2007) illustrated that duration and frequency of grooming behaviors increased (by 508% and 226% respectively) after dairy cows were exposed to a mechanical brush. Furthermore, Mandel et al. (J. Dairy Sci. 96:6506, 2013) examined the possibility of using analysis of cow behavior around a mechanical brush as a gauge of well-being because mechanical brush use may be a luxury activity since use of the brush declined during periods of decreased energy (e.g., food placed far away or post artificial insemination). Research has provided evidence that calves utilize enrichment devices, such as lollies, artificial teats, stationary brushes, and rubber chain links (Pempek et al., J. Dairy Sci. 100:4807, 2017). Finally, Zobel et al. (Animal 7:84, 2017) focused on dairy calf enrichment via manila ropes and mechanical brushes, demonstrating that calves housed in pairs utilized both mechanical brushes and manila ropes for 27.1 min/d. The differences in brush to rope use between individual calves in this study demonstrate a need for additional research to determine preferred and effective enrichment devices. Review of past studies suggests that mechanical brushes are beneficial enrichment tools for dairy cows and that they may be convenient tools to monitor dairy cow welfare and possibly health. As animal welfare research continues to expand, additional studies need to be conducted focusing on dairy calf enrichment and behavior in individual and group housing systems.