Beyond the Barn: World Dairy Expo

From Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator

• Outstanding cattle in the show ring – Cattle numbers were up this year and we saw some great looking animals in the show.  I personally saw some very impressive heifers walking through while I volunteered in the Ayrshire ring.
• New feeding systems – We saw a lot of new features of autofeeders and how to match them to different calf programs.  If you’re interested in more information on this technology, contact your local Vita Plus consultant or dealer.
• New feeding programs – Many presentations focused on improving calf performance.  They included a close look at feeding waste milk, milk replacers, starters and additives available for calves.
• Housing options – I was interested to see the many different indoor systems for calf raising.  We have a lot of options available today that let you customize setup and teardown, cleaning, feeding, etc.  Depending on your facilities, the system you select can significantly affect calf health and performance.  That means it’s important to carefully evaluate all of your options before installing a new pen system.
• Calf jackets – World Dairy Expo is a great reminder that fall is upon us and cooler weather is headed our way.  When choosing calf jackets, be sure to select something that is easy to clean, is easy to put on and take off, and has adjustable straps to allow for calf growth.  Take advantage of the different sizes available to best fit smaller or bigger calves.