Posted on March 25th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Knowing your feed cost of gain is an important consideration when selecting and evaluating a nursery calf feeding program. This cost of gain calculator can be used to estimate the cost of gain for a nursery calf program.
Posted on March 25th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Alta Genetics associate veterinarian Failure to provide a clean, well-managed maternity area can lead to calves ingesting manure laden with E. coli , which can then travel to and infect the bloodstream. This is can lead to infection in one or multiple joints.
Posted on March 25th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator Consistently delivering fresh starter and getting calves to eat it can be a hassle. Here are five ways to get starter in front of calves.
Posted on January 28th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
The calf program at Sunrise Dairy LLC in Suring, Wisconsin, has changed a lot in the 10 years Kayla Hischke has managed the youngstock program. From housing young calves in a calf barn instead of the dairy's old stone barn, to sending heifers to a Nebraskan custom raiser, the team has found ways to innovate and raise calves throughout the changes.
Posted on January 28th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann Hoskins visits Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy to discuss their winter calf care protocols and "neonatal intensive care unit."
Posted on January 28th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Brianna Hackbarth, a calf manager at Fischer-Clark Dairy Farm Inc., walks us through the farm's winter calf processing procedures.
Posted on January 28th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus dairy technology specialist As computer herd management programs improve, calf raisers have the opportunity to define what information needs to be recorded that can help treat calves and identify strategies for improvement.
Posted on January 28th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Vita Plus calf and heifer specialist The past two years have both been wet years, which is often associated with an increased risk for bovine respiratory disease in cattle of all ages. Consider these strategies to improve gut health and overall immune function.
Posted on January 28th, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Vita Plus calf and heifer specialist Vaccines are an important part of any calf raising program, however, we may not be handling them correctly to get the most out of them. Here are five ways to protect vaccine quality.
Posted on November 13th, 2019 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Before they installed autofeeders in the calf barns at Minglewood, Inc., Kristin Quist, calf manager, said the team used to spend 16 hours a day feeding calves three times a day. Now, Quist invests eight hours a day and has more flexibility in the schedule to dedicate time to other areas of the dairy.
Posted on November 13th, 2019 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of Calf Chat, Dr. Jenn Rowntree discusses the importance of walking through calf autofeeder pens, and calibrating and cleaning the machines regularly.
Posted on November 13th, 2019 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy Farm Inc. discusses the tools her team uses to communicate with each other.
Posted on November 13th, 2019 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Dr. Noah Litherland explores the protein requirements of the growing calf and what role calf starter can play in reaching growth goals.
Posted on November 13th, 2019 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Kendra Wells, Valley Veterinary Clinic Diagnosing pneumonia can be difficult because most cases are subclinical. However, using an ultrasound can help view lung lesions and lead to an effective monitoring program.