Starting Strong – Calf Care

Wasted starter is money that could have been put to better use.  Here are a couple quick tips to reduce starter waste: Don’t overfeed starter. Young calves do not eat much and, therefore, do not need a pail full. Calves like their starter fresh, so providing smaller amounts close to their intakes will help encourage

By Mariah Martin, 2015 Dane County Fairest of the Fair As an 11-year 4-H member, when July comes around it only means one thing:  the Dane County Fair. My family spent eight of my 11 years showing dairy and rabbits and completing sewing, cake decorating, art, photography and many other projects. This year, instead of

By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist The summer months have no shortage of activities and projects on the farm, which makes it easy to forget the details as we rush from one task to the next. However, what seem like minor details can have major impacts on calf performance.  These include

By Dr. Rob Farruggio, Jefferson Veterinary Clinic When dealing with calf health issues, it is common to investigate whether the calf was handled properly in the first few hours of life. This includes moving the calf to a clean dry place within one hour of birth, dipping the navel, feeding clean, high quality colostrum in

By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist In the calf world, we often think of protein in terms of percentage of milk replacer powder, but a multitude of factors affect the growing calf’s protein needs. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and vital to maintenance, growth and structural development.  Amino

Question:  What’s the best way to feed colostrum?  By bottle or esophageal feeder? A:  Colostrum management is of critical importance for maximizing calf health.  Multiple factors influence passive transfer of immunity from colostrum, including quality, quantity, quickness and cleanliness.  Current recommendations call for the first colostrum feeding to be delivered within four hours of birth,

By Maddie Culbertson, North Central Co-op dairy specialist With another cold winter behind us, I am happy to report calves in our region came through the harsh conditions thriving.  With nightmares of the winter of 2013-14 lingering, many producers had a heightened awareness of the implications cold stress can have on the future herd.  Modified

In this edition of Starting Strong, Katie Grinstead of Vir-Clar Farms in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin walks us through her nutrition and management program for weaned calves. Visit our YouTube channel for more segments of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser.

Focus on Protocols Keeps Family on Same Page Bill and Lisa Holland have farmed 37 years in Apple River, Illinois.  They started the operation with hogs and cows, but transitioned to exclusively cattle within the first few years.  Today, four of their five children play an active role on the family farm as they milk

Many dairy producers hosted and helped at dairy breakfasts and other promotional events throughout June Dairy Month.  But that doesn't mean you can only share your farm's story during one month of the year.  In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann Hoskins shares a few tips to prepare your farm for visitors. Visit our YouTube

Use of dehorning paste is increasingly popular among today's calf raisers.  Following her February edition of "A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser," Katie Grinstead of Vir-Clar Farms in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin recieved many questions about how she uses dehorning paste for her calves.  Katie walks through the simple steps in this

The weather is warm, the sun is shining, and you have a perfectly scooped cone of your favorite ice cream in hand.  It doesn’t get much better than that. Creating that exact scene – over and over – is the goal for Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus, Wisconsin. For three years, Juli Cooper has worked

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator It won’t be long before your time spent feeding calves is clouded with the buzzing of pesky flies swarming around your head. Getting ahead of the flies will help reduce the population long-term.  According to research from Purdue University, a fly can complete an entire generation –

In this video, Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator, outlines how to set the feeding program in an autofeeder system.  Stay tuned for future videos on maintenance, trouble shooting and data management.  Gain more helpful video tips on our YouTube channel.

The umbilical cord of a newborn calf is the residual pipeline from the mother’s blood to the calf.  The unborn calf uses the mother’s circulation for nourishment and her urinary system to remove the waste it produces.  During birth, the cord is stretched until it breaks.  At that point, the calf is cut off from

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator Question:  Cleanliness in our calf area is a top priority on our farm.  So many cleaning and disinfecting products are available, how do I know which are best for eliminating pathogens?  A:  Detergents and disinfectants should be selected based on the job they must perform. Their effectiveness