The objective of this study was to evaluate management practices and calf performance on 6 Virginia dairy farms using automated calf feeders (Förster Technik, Engen, Germany) in their preweaning programs. Following an initial management survey, farms were visited biweekly for approximately 28 wk. At each visit, facilities were scored on cleanliness of feeders and quality of bedding, calf starter, and drinking water. Weights (estimated by heart girth) and hip heights were measured on calves within approximately 5 d of entering the feeder system or 5 d of being weaned and averaged by farm for each age group to estimate average daily gain (ADG) and average daily height gain (ADH) over the preweaning period. One farm was an exception to this procedure, where farm staff regularly measured hip heights and calf weights with a digital scale and ADG and ADH were calculated for individual calves. Blood was collected from calves 1–7 d of age by jugular venipuncture, transported on ice, and centrifuged to estimate total serum proteins by refractometry. Calf treatment and mortality records were collected at each farm visit. Median lactating herd size was 260, ranging from 110 to 850 cows. Each farm sorted calves by age into 2 pens per feeder, with a mean number of calves ± SD per pen of 10 ± 3. Mean ADG and ADH ± SD of calves were 0.73 ± 0.11 kg and 0.21 ± 0.05 cm. Mean ± SD serum total protein levels were 5.80 ± 1.04 g/dl. According to treatment and mortality records, mean ± SD morbidity and mortality rates were 61.05 ± 18.48 and 3.14 ± 2.67%. All farms fed milk replacer and utilized a feeding plan with a mean starting allotment of 5.4 L/d, ranging from 4.0 to 6.0 L/d, and a mean peak allotment of 9.0 L/d, ranging from 7.0 to 16.0 L/d. Mean milk replacer concentration was 150 g powder/L water, with a range of 140 to 160 g powder/L water. Mean length of enrollment on the feeder system was 54.3 d, ranging from 48 to 63 d. The information from this study may provide insight to producers using or considering using automated feeders in their calf programs.