Calf and heifer nutrition

​By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Vita Plus calf and heifer specialist
Building a functional rumen is important for a calf to be a successful producer later in life. In addition to offering starter grain and water, here are several other guidelines to ensure proper rumen development preweaning.

With Sara Schilling, Schilling Farms LLC
Sara Schilling of Schilling Farms LLC walks us through the farm's morning feeding protocols. Thank you to Sara and her team for sharing their farm and calf raising strategies with us throughout 2018.

By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist
Energy balance is the net effect of energy intake and energy use. Weight gain and loss are direct reflections of a shift in energy balance.

By the Vita Plus Calf Team
A new year is the perfect time to review calf care protocols and set goals for what you can do better in the year ahead.  Here are 11 calf care resolutions you should keep this year to help raise healthy calves.

Joe Loehr of Loehr Dairy LLC believed he could adjust his pasteurized milk feeding program to improve calf health. As he reached for that goal, he also achieved better efficiency in the total calf raising program.

In this edition of Calf Chat, Dr. Noah Litherland discusses the four components of self-discipline and how we can apply them to become better calf managers.

With Sara Schilling, Schilling Farms LLC
Sara Schilling of Schilling Farms LLC talks to us about her colostrum management protocols and describes her goals for giving calves the best start to life.

By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Vita Plus calf and heifer specialist
Sudden death in a healthy calf can be due to any number of causes, however, Clostridium perfringens rises to the top of the list, especially when abomasal bloat is involved.

By Dr. Peter Strassburg, Lodi Veterinary Clinic
Calf diarrhea is a common and very frustrating problem when raising calves.  Identifying scours early can help you decide on a treatment plan and increase your odds of treatment success.

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products manager
The best way to save on calf starter without sacrificing growth and performance is to limit waste.  These seven steps can help you save money on calf starter.

By Brittany Olson, contributing writer
Colostrum is concentrated with important nutrients, antibodies and growth hormones to help give a calf a healthy start to life.  Steele explained how providing quality colostrum early in a calf's life can help it take in nutrition and repel pathogens. 

By Jenna Hurty-Person, Progressive Dairyman
A healthy gut in baby calves is important to give them the best start to life possible.  Rowntree explained why a healthy gut is important and shared what you can do to help develop it.

Calves don't become productive members of the milking herd overnight.  They need to be "grown from the inside out" with proper nutrition to develop their GI tract and digestive processes to ensure efficient growth.

By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman
Four common misconceptions exist when we think about prefresh heifers.  Hoffman addressed these misconceptions and challenged producers to dig deeper into these beliefs in order to better understand the unique needs of these animals. 

By Brittany Olson, contributing writer
Going from life as a monogastric animal to a ruminating animal is one of the most significant changes in a calf's life.  How she transitions sets the stage for her future growth and development.

By Brittany Olson, contributing writer
While cows crave routine in their daily lives, so do calves and heifers.  Hoskins spoke about the need to dial in on quality control for calf nutrition to help improve animal health and performance.