Posted on June 26th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
With Dr. Noah Litherland , University of Minnesota Department of Animal Science dairy cattle nutritionist
Research has repeatedly shown that quality calf starter plays a big role in calf performance. Understanding the biology behind this strategy can help make the most of your feeding program.
Dr. Noah Litherland is a dairy cattle nutritionist with the University of Minnesota’s Department of Animal Science. Litherland, who has a passion for calf nutrition, said starter intake can have “magical effects” in terms of calf...
Posted on April 10th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Jeff Acker, Veterinary Services of Wisconsin, LLC
Q: As we switch from winter to summer protocols, what should be our top priorities for getting calves ready for a new season?
A: Spring is the season of the most dramatic climate changes of the year. This past winter was rather long, but also stable - not too cold and not too warm. So when do we need to make the transition from winter protocols to summer...
Posted on April 10th, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Doug Olsen, Vita Plus dairy territory manager
Here in central Wisconsin, I’m seeing a lot of dairies investing in new calf facilities. Many in the area are building barns with individual pens and some are transitioning to automatic calf feeding systems with group pens. It seems most of these autofeeder systems are going on farms with 1,000 cows or more as a means to reduce labor needs.
This drive for better facilities comes as producers are putting increased value on...
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 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 9th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Download a printable PDF Presentation
J Hall has been raising calves for the past 15 years. He started his business with a few hutches and has grown to raising 5,000 calves under five months and 1,800 heifers five-months to springers. This year, he is planning to continue the expansion of his operation to accommodate the needs of area farmers.
Hall said, "As long as you can raise healthy calves, the demand is there."
Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Download a printable PDF Presentation
Raising a healthy replacement heifer is a long, complicated process. According to Dr. David Carlson, technical services with Milk Products LLC, calf growth is influenced by many factors, including genetics, environment, health and nutrition. Understanding how all the factors work together can have a big impact on the management decisions you make to maximize performance.
Starting with genetics, breed traits influence a calf’s nutritional needs; for example, a Holstein calf...
Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Eliza Ruzic, Vita Plus Loyal Dairy Specialist
Mother Nature has taken us on a rollercoaster ride in Central Wisconsin this spring, with the warmest March on record and below-average temperatures in April. The swings in weather have kept calf and heifer raisers on their toes to make sure their calves are healthy and growing. We tightened our management, worked through challenges and had success along the way.
The management areas we've focused on include ventilation,...
Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator
I recently had a very interesting discussion with a producer’s calf, and she asked if she could share her “Dear Santa” letter with me. Brought to you right from Cali the Calf:
Dear Santa,
Santa, I have been very good this year. I drink my milk and water, eat lots of grain and I even try to keep my hutch clean. Seeing as how...
Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Dr. Neil Michael comes to Starting Strong with nearly 30 years of experience as a veterinarian specializing in dairy. He currently works as the director of dairy initiatives for Vita Plus.
Q: How do I know that my calves are getting enough energy during cold weather conditions to maintain and gain body weight?
A: One of the best methods to ensure your young calves are maintaining a positive energy status during temperatures below 59 degrees...
Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
We know that feeding starter early in the calf’s life helps develop the rumen and boost performance. But a lot more goes into a good starter than oats, corn, molasses, fat and a pellet. During his presentation at the 2011 Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference , Dr. Mark Hill with Provimi North America shared his insight into what makes an optimal starter.
According to Hill, 20 published trials show an increase in average daily gain (ADG) as starter consumption increases. That means that good...
Posted on November 8th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator
Cold weather is approaching. In order to maximize performance and health, you need to provide the key ingredients, including enough calories, high quality starter and water. Are you prepared to offer water this winter? Even in cold temperatures, providing free choice water is essential for a successful calf program.
Water is necessary for the following functions:
Maintaining body fluids and proper ion balance Digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing...
Posted on November 8th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Calf raisers invest a lot of time and energy into optimizing calf performance. Good feed management with young heifers can help to keep that momentum going as calves get older.
Cody Yanzick, Vita Plus dairy nutritionist, has spent a lot of time helping producers develop their grower programs to meet heifers’ needs. He provides several tips for introducing, feeding and monitoring heifer TMRs.
Choose the right size mixer. Most calf raisers mix small batches of heifer TMR. Choose the right mixer size to...
Posted on November 5th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Many variables affect a calf’s health and performance. However, calf expert Dr. Sheila McGuirk, DVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, said three main categories can really guide how calf raisers provide top notch care to their calves.
During her presentation at the Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference, McGuirk told producers to think of a calf like a three-legged stool, with its health balanced on colostrum, environment and nutrition. The stronger each of these areas is, the better off a calf will be....
Posted on November 4th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
What’s become conventional calf feeding isn’t necessarily what’s closest to “natural” calf growth programs. That’s according to Dr. Jim Drackley of the University of Illinois during his presentation at Vita Plus Dairy Summit 2010.
Calf feeding programs that are most successful nutritionally mimic cow’s milk. Drackley introduced the idea of “biologically appropriate nutrition” to Summit attendees. Biologically appropriate feeding programs deliver milk solids in a ratio nearer to cow’s milk (about 26 percent protein and 29 percent fat on a dry solids basis). The...
Posted on November 4th, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Q: What is the best way to get extra energy into my calves in cold weather?
Environmental factors can have major effects on the energy requirement of young calves. Newborn calves are particularly vulnerable to temperature changes. The newborn calf has a thermoneutral zone that falls between 55 and 77 degrees F. This means calves don’t need to use extra energy to maintain body temperature. However, as the weather turns colder, the calf needs more calories to provide additional energy for...
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