Starting Strong

One thing I’ve learned working in the dairy industry is that we love to swing the pendulum. We pick a target, we chase it hard and then a few years later we move it again. Colostrum management is no exception. What used to be “good enough” has evolved, and now we’re asking new questions: Are we truly hitting the right benchmarks, and are there unintended consequences along the way?

When I think about precision feeding in nursery calves, it means different things depending on your perspective. For some, it’s accurate weights and measurements; for others, it’s controlling feed costs, improving calf health or simply using your time more efficiently. But precision is about understanding where your calves are today, where you want them to go and how consistently you can get them there.

Vita Plus nutritionist Barry Visser and MoDak Dairy owners Greg and Jacob Moes highlight their maternity, pre-weaning, and heifer facilities, followed by high-impact conversations on calf management strategies.

It’s hard to believe that World Dairy Expo is already here and gone! If you missed my Expo Chat Session, or are just looking to review the messages, let’s hit the highlights of my talk on the costs of raising dairy heifers.

The brightest minds in the global calf community converged in Madison, Wisconsin, at the end of September to discuss the latest concepts and strategies in raising dairy youngstock. Read on for some key nuggets to bring back to the dairy.

The intestine plays a vital role in nutrient absorption, neural communication, immune sensing and serving as a barrier between intestinal contents and the bloodstream. Researchers continue to explore how intestinal integrity influences respiratory health.

Watch Talon 25/25 milk replacer travel from forklift to farm!

The footprint of Kohls Dairy Farm LLC in Gillett, Wisconsin, has changed significantly in the last 12 years with the addition of a calf barn and a tunnel-ventilated cow barn.  As herd manager Michelle (Kohls) Baranczyk explained, both construction projects prioritized an optimal environment for the animals and ease of use for managers and employees.

Calf starter is calf starter, right? Not quite. There are numerous considerations in building a starter feed that maximizes intake and, in turn, calf growth.

More than 350 dairy producers and industry professionals learned the latest science and management strategies to raise today’s dairy calf during the Vita Plus Growing the Modern Calf workshops held this past spring.  When the workshop series resumes this fall, more farm owners and managers will have the opportunity to explore these topics and how they can be put to work on their farms.

The goal is to allow the calf to nurse comfortably with its nose below its eyes.  The height of the nipple is the most important factor when evaluating bottle holder placement. 

The Finger family has farmed in Oconto, Wisconsin, for more than 150 years. With exceptional animal care as a top priority on the dairy farm, the family and its team of employees continue to learn, evolve, and adapt to new strategies to maximize cow and calf success.

Keeping calves clean, dry and comfortable is the hallmark of a successful calf facility. Properly designed calf housing can positively impact calf performance, growth, feed efficiency and labor.

I’m an avid dairy science podcast subscriber. One episode I listened to discussed extreme heat stress in lactating dairy cows. Late in the episode, one of the experts noted that, although cooling cows seems relatively straightforward, he is continuously surprised at the never-ending and novel concerns surrounding dairy cattle heat stress.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is considered a primary health challenge on farm, requiring individual calf treatment. Symptoms of respiratory disease are not always observable, especially in the early stages of growth, and are influenced by stressors such as weather or pen changes.

The earlier the better when it comes to catching dehydration in calves.  Identifying mild dehydration and fixing the problem in the early stages will save you a lot of headaches in the coming days.