Dr. Julian “Skip” Olson, Milk Products, LLC – Animal Welfare Audit: What to Expect

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Click to download the PowerPoint presentation Written by Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman With nearly 90 percent of consumers indicating that animal welfare is a concern, dairy producers must communicate their efforts to uphold the highest standards of care, and an animal welfare audit is one way to achieve this. “With few exceptions, farmers do a

Dr. Rob Farruggio, Jefferson Veterinary Clinic – The Invisible Threat: It’s a Meance to the Dairy

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Click to download the PowerPoint presentation Article written by Macy Sarbacker Calf raisers can easily pick out major disease threats in their herds, according to Dr. Rob Farruggio of Jefferson Veterinary Clinic in Jefferson, Wisconsin. These known threats include the bacterial and viral causes of both scours and pneumonia. The long-term impact of scours means

Dr. Harry Momont, University of Wisconsin-Madison – Calving 101: Everyone Gets Out Alive

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Article written by Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman When it comes to calving, the biggest question is when to intervene, according to Dr. Harry Momont, DVM, with the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. How to intervene runs a close second. When to intervene? Momont suggested a structured approach when it comes to deciding whether

Dr. Richard Wallace, Zoetis – The Beef Side of Milk

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Article written by Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman Dairy producers are beef producers too, which is why it is important to ensure meat quality by preventing injection site lesions and drug residues. According to Dr. Richard Wallace, DVM, MS, with Zoetis, dairy producers can capture more value for their cull cows by focusing on Beef Quality

Dr. Frank Garry, Colorado State University – Improving Newborn Calf Survival

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Click to download the PowerPoint presentation Article written by Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman We often associate the stress of giving birth with how it affects the cow and underestimate the dramatic physiological changes that the calf undergoes, according to Colorado State University’s Dr. Franklyn Garry, DVM, MS. “At birth, the calf faces the biggest challenges

Dave Wood, Animix – Supplements for Pasteurized Milk & Milk Replacers: Choose Wi$ely

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Click to download the PowerPoint presentation Article written by Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman When it comes to caring for calves, the options are endless for ingredients and additives that promise to promote health or increase gains, which is why David Wood, Animix, tells dairy producers to choose wisely. When evaluating calf supplements, Wood suggests keeping

Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus – Precision Calf Nutrition

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Click to download the PowerPoint presentation Article written by Macy Sarbacker Precision nutrition is the idea that you treat the calf as an individual, according to Vita Plus Dairy Youngstock Technical Specialist Noah Litherland. If calves are not growing or are losing bodyweight, then the start of first lactation is delayed and potentially compromised. This

Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus – Real World Sources of Variance in Heifer Performance

Posted on July 2, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Click to download the PowerPoint presentation Article written by Macy Sarbacker You’ve got a wobbly-legged, newborn heifer calf. She’s still wet and you’re drying her off. What do you know about the kind of cow she’s going to be? Are all calves born with the potential to become great dairy cows? What is the balance

Autofeeders: What Have We Learned? – Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus

Posted on April 30, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
We have learned many things along the way as autofeeders become more popular in the calf raising world.  On the dairy, we tend to learn most things through experience – good or bad.  While that makes it difficult to pinpoint exact “rights and wrongs,” learning from others’ experiences can help us focus on making the

Ask the Expert: What Can I Learn From a Diagnostic Report? – Dr. Edie Brandt, De Pere Veterinary Service

Posted on April 29, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Edie Brandt, De Pere Veterinary Service Question:  Once in a while, we will take in samples collected from a deceased calf for analysis.  Can you please help me to better understand the findings and how to use this information? A:  First of all, the best person to help answer your questions is your

Calf Care Quick Tip: Colostrum Cubes

Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Shared by Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Colostrum cubes are a convenient way to add immunoglobulins and other growth factors naturally found in colostrum to increase calf gut health without the use of antibiotics.  Colostrum cubes are low-cost and can be produced with items already on the farm.  I use colostrum

Beyond the Barn: Stock Your Summer Shelves

Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
When it gets hot, hot, hot, we want you and your calf team to stay safe, safe, safe.  That includes staying hydrated, wearing weather-appropriate clothing, and protecting against the sun’s harmful UV rays. Here’s our spring shopping list to get your shelves stocked and ready for whatever the summer may bring. Rain gear:  Getting soaked

Protein Matters: Meeting Calf Performance Goals – Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus

Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Protein is the single most important and expensive ingredient in milk replacers contributing to calf growth.  That doesn’t mean this macronutrient is easy to understand.  Exploring the sources and functions of protein can help you better select which milk replacer is right for your calf

The Crypto Challenge For Calves – Dr. Max Thornsberry, Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition

Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Max Thornsberry, Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition Cryptosporidiosis (or crypto) is caused by the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. Crypto and coccidiosis are caused by similar parasites; both disease organisms utilize the cells lining the digestive tract to reproduce.  Many different species of Coccidia affect different portions of the digestive tract.  Typically, the most

Regional Calf Report: Western Michigan – Mark Case, Vita Plus

Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Mark Case, Vita Plus dairy specialist Whew!  What a rough winter! Here in Michigan, we are glad that spring has finally sprung and we don’t have to worry about severe cold until next winter.  The producers in my area asked a lot of questions about how to get calves through the bitter, cold weather.

Video: A Day in the Life of a Calf Rasier – Stieglitz Dairy LLC

Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of Starting Strong A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Danae Stieglitz of Stieglitz Dairy LLC explains her farm's fly control and heat abatement strategies as she looks forward to warm summer weather.  Visit our YouTube channel for other A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser segments.