Calf management, especially from birth to weaning, is extremely important to guarantee optimal health, growth and future performance of replacement heifers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the management procedures in the very first stages of the calf’s life until weaning and identify those that affect calf growth the most. The trial was conducted on 31 dairy farms, milking from 35 to 600 dairy cows and producing on average from 17 to 40 kg/head/day. From July to December 2018, each farmer was interviewed about all procedures related to calf management from birth to weaning. Some of the procedures evaluated were navel disinfection, separation from the dam, colostrum management, disease prevention, bedding removal, cleaning of housing facilities and calf feeding. The facilities were thoroughly described, measured and assessed for cleanliness. Female calves between 1 and 70 d of age were measured for weight and height at withers. A stepwise regression was performed to identify the principal factors affecting average daily gain (ADG) the most. Farms were grouped by size and milk yield and were tested for differences in ADG (ANOVA) or management procedures (Kruskal-Wallis test). Altogether 271 calves were measured. On average, body weight at weaning was 89.7 ± 15.1kg, and average daily gain in the first 2 mo of life was 0.77 ± 0.19 kg/d. Of all factors considered to explain the ADG until weaning, the stepwise regression selected the amount of colostrum given within 6 h from birth, dam vaccination against enteric diseases, frequency at which colostrum quality is measured and type of colostrum given (R² = 0.98). None of the factors related to the facilities’ cleanliness, animal density or concentrate feeding were selected. Regarding the selected factors, the 26% of the farms fed more than 3L of colostrum within 6 h from the birth, 55% vaccinated the dams against enteric diseases, 16% constantly measured the colostrum quality and 48% fed only maternal colostrum. Farm size and milk yield did not affect ADG nor selected factors, except for frequency at which colostrum quality was measured, that was higher (P = 0.027) in high yield farms.