Posted on November 23rd, 2020 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Jill Houin discusses the Homestead Dairy, LLC maternity protocols and how they give the calves a successful start to life.
Posted on August 24th, 2018 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
With Sara Schilling of Schilling Farms LLC In this segment of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Sara Schilling, Schilling Farms LLC, shares her summer bedding protocols as well as what products she uses for fly control.
Posted on December 26th, 2017 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
With Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator Cold temperatures are especially tough on newborn calves. In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator, provides seven tips to give newborn calves the best start possible.
Posted on December 26th, 2017 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist
Question: How Much Bedding Do My Calves Need?
Answer: Visually evaluate feet, knees and outer thighs of calves daily. If all three areas are clean, the goal of keeping calves clean and dry has been met.
A bit more: Clean and dry calves are a hallmark of elite calf raisers. Bedding management plays an integral role in the health, wellbeing and efficiency of...
Posted on December 21st, 2015 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator
Question: What material makes for the best bedding for my calves?
Answer: We have many options for bedding calves. The easiest choice is what you have available, but that might not always be the best choice. Consider your entire setup and how the details affect your options.
Calves require at least 30 to 40 square feet of resting space with a recommended bedding depth of 8 to 12...
Posted on August 29th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Rob Farruggio , Jefferson Veterinary Clinic
Q: As I look at my calf rearing program, I feel like our maternity area may be the weakest link. We really start to see more newborn calf issues as we near the end of the summer. Do you have advice on ways to improve our maternity area?
A: Raising calves can be the most rewarding part of a dairy farm if done properly. The life that begins...
Posted on June 26th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator
When heat stress hits on the farm, we often look to the cows first. But did you know that heat stress can hit calves as hard as all the other animals on the farm?
Heat-stressed calves may have reduced average daily gains or increased incidence of treatments. Worst of all, heat stress may cause higher death loss in your calf program.
Calves suffering from heat stress are more likely to become dehydrated...
Posted on February 26th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Deep bedding is essential for baby calves to nest and conserve energy. Dry bedding is equally important for good respiratory health. Spending 30 seconds to do the knee test can help you make sure bedding is adequate.
Posted on February 26th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator
This winter has thrown us many challenges: a lot of snow, rain, huge temperature swings, cold stretches, and on and on. It is easy to think with the recent warmer temperatures we are getting close to the end. Even so, I challenge you to stay the course with your winter protocols. The huge swings in temperatures and lots of moisture require more energy from the calf. The warm days, cool nights and lots of...
Posted on December 26th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator Respiratory disease is the second leading cause of mortality in calves under six months of age. In addition to death loss, respiratory disease negatively impacts other economic factors, including high treatment costs, reduced growth rate, delayed calving and increased culling.
Symptoms often include a temperature higher than 103.0 degrees, increased respiratory rates, reduced feed intake, coughing, nasal discharge and depression.
Common bacterial pathogens include Pasteurella multocida , Mannheimia (formerly Pasteurella )...
Posted on November 13th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, calf products coordinator
As we talked about in Calf Chat, it’s time to get out your winter gear and re-establish your winter protocols. Although we’re a few weeks away from implementing all of the winter protocols, temperatures are dropping fast and it’s better to be ready than scramble at the last minute.
Maternity and newborn pens
Let’s start in the maternity area. Move calves from the calving pen and use...
Posted on November 4th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Just like you put on multiple layers of clothing before you head outside in the winter, your calves also need a good way to “bundle up” when it gets cold. What’s more, their “winter outfits” need to be dry and clean to prevent respiratory disease. Here are some quick tips to follow when bedding hutches and pens this winter:
Start with a clean, disinfected hutch. Pressure wash, disinfect and let the hutch dry between calves. Place hutches on a clean, dry area – preferably...
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