Dairy farmers are increasingly using automation in their operations and a larger number of farms are breeding at least a portion of their cows to beef semen to increase the price received for calves. However, little information is available about best management practices for beef × Holstein F1 crosses and Holsteins in automated feeding systems. The objective of this study was to compare milk consumption, health, and growth of Holstein calves (H) and Angus × Holstein F1 calves (F1) during the pre-weaning phase. Data from calves (n = 212) including daily milk consumption (birth-weaning), serum total protein, pneumonia incidence, and lung scores were collected on a commercial farm from Nov. 9, 2018–Jan. 27, 2019. Calves were fed pasteurized waste milk with 20 g/L of a 30% protein, 5% fat milk enhancer through a Förster-Technik automated calf feeding system (pens = 4) for 63.4 d (range 55–72 d). Calves were weighed at birth and weaning, and the average birth weight was 41.2 ± 5.6 kg (mean ± SD). Thoracic ultrasounds were performed on each calf at 57 ± 4.8 d (mean ± SD) using a 1–3 scale for lung consolidation score (LCS, 1 = no lung consolidation, 2 = consolidation in one lung, and 3 = consolidation in both lungs). Effects of birth weight, health incidences, serum total protein, breed, sex, pen, and LCS on milk consumption and ADG were evaluated using a multiple regression model. Birth weight, LCS (both P < 0.0001) and LCS by breed (P = 0.02) all affected milk consumption at 60 d (R² = 0.33). The interaction between LCS and breed resulted in F1 with LCS = 1 consuming more milk than H with LCS = 1 (452 vs 432 L), however, F1 with LCS = 3 consumed less milk than H with LCS = 3 (353 vs 390 L). Factors that impacted ADG included days on feeder and birth weight (both P < 0.01) and milk consumption up to 60 d (P < 0.0001; entire model (R² = 0.41)). LCS proved to be a better predictor of milk consumption and ADG than incidence rates of pneumonia. Overall, F1 and H consumed different amounts of milk in an automated feeding system dependent on lung consolidation.