Starting Strong – Calf Care

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator Raising calves can be very rewarding and very challenging. Bringing calves from multiple sources can certainly complicate the process, but following a good receiving protocol will help reduce the challenges. Identification and health checks The first step is properly identifying calves. Clearly state the source farm, date

In this video, Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator, walks us through the data autofeeder systems provide and highlights key indicators that can help you best manage your calves. Click here for Part 1 in this video series and click here for Part 2.  Gain more helpful video tips on our YouTube channel.

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.

By Jerry Ruetten, Vita Plus Dodgeville dairy specialist On a recent visit to Great Britain, I had the opportunity to tour a few dairy farms. The first thing that struck me was the age of the farms; not the buildings themselves, but the family generations that have farmed these areas.  Some knew the history back

 In this edition of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Stacy Jauquet of Jauquet's Hillview Dairy LLC shares the tools she uses to care for her calves in the winter months.  She also explains her winter feeding program and her simple strategy for delivering the correct amount of milk to each

Mar-Bec Dairy Builds Excellence for the Next Generation Jonathon Hallock doesn’t have the typical “farm kid story” of spending every day in the barn with his parents.  In fact, farm chores weren’t even an option unless all of his homework and other school commitments were completed first. But that didn’t limit any of his passion

In this edition of Calf Chat, Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist, addresses the respiratory challenges we've seen in calves during our recent wet, warm weather. He shares some tips you can use to keep your calves healthy as we head into winter.  Visit our YouTube channel for more Calf Chat segments.

By Anna Blake, Vita Plus Loyal dairy specialist Communication is often cited as the biggest challenge among today's farm teams.  Language barriers can significantly contribute to that challenge.  Learning the 20 Spanish words listed below may help you more effectively communicate with your team as you work together to raise strong, healthy replacements. English term

Bright pink socks in NFL games and pink ribbons pinned to jackets remind us that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This annual campaign has helped raise funds for research and reminds women of the importance of early detection.  But this focus on preventative care and a healthy lifestyle should continue long after the October

Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist We’ve arrived at the time of year when we hear reports of low colostrum yield from fresh cows.  Field results indicate colostrum yield may reach a low point in November and December, averaging less than 5 pounds of milk per cow at first milking. Both colostrum

By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Five key metrics can help us evaluate calf performance.  They are: Birth bodyweight Gestation length, calving ease score, calving outside the calving pen, twinning, and failure of passive transfer Health treatment and age at treatment Age, weight and hip height at weaning/grouping Weight at three

By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Estimating feed intake (dry matter intake) of dairy heifers is an important part of dairy heifer nutrition, but there is a little catch and a trick to get it close. Many of us use heifer bodyweight to estimate feed intake of dairy heifers.  Bodyweight-based heifer feed intake

By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Question:  How do I interpret my water test results and what impact do these results have on my calves? Answer:  A few weeks ago, I received an email from a calf grower struggling with calf health and growth.  The consultant collected a water sample and

By Bryan Knoper, Vita Plus dairy specialist Calf raising trends in the Indiana market area have changed greatly in the past several years. It seems, when accelerated growth milk replacers were introduced, many producers adopted this new technology and were pleased with the early growth they could clearly identify without even weighing or measuring the

We are excited to introduce you to Stacy Jauquet of Jauquet's Hillview Dairy in Luxemburg, Wisconsin.  For the next year, Stacy will give you an inside look at her calf program and the strategies she's learned to raise healthy, strong calves.  In this edition, Stacy share's the details on her maternity protocols.  Visit our YouTube

Autofeeders Help Calves Reach Genetic Potential The team at Creamery Creek Holsteins LLC in Bangor, Wisconsin continually keeps an eye on emerging technologies to optimize performance on the 700-cow dairy.  So, as automatic calf feeders gained a foothold in the U.S. marketplace, manager Justin Peterson researched and adopted the technology for his calf operation. Prior