Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Arizona Dairy Knows Heat Abatement and Calf Comfort After a brutal winter in the Midwest, some calf raisers might say they can’t remember what hot weather feels like. In contrast, calf teams on Arizona dairies battle hot temperatures most of the year. T&K Red River Dairy is owned and operated by Tom Dugan and his
Posted on April 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of Starting Strong Calf Chat, Ann welcomes you to join us for Calf Summit 2014. Network with your fellow calf raisers, learn what's on the cutting edge of calf research, and take home practical advice for your calf program. Talk to your Vita Plus consultant or dealer for registration details. Visit our
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Are you struggling to keep your calf panels from freezing to the ground this winter? Take a tire from your forage pile and place it beneath the front of the calf panel. It will help keep the panel above the snow and make it easier to move. Once in a while, as you pass by
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Panelists: (left to right) Cody Heller, Heller Farms; Ignacio Escamilla, Heller Farms; and Vicente Ramirez, T&K Red River Dairy By Peggy Coffeen, Progressive Dairyman Taking the time to understand the culture of Hispanic employees can build loyalty and cut down on costly turnover. During the Vita Plus Dairy Summit, Cody Heller, Cows R Us Consulting
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Most of us have heard the old cliché "milk doesn’t come from the store" and the cliché is common fabric among us whom are passionate about the dairy industry. In short, it simply means we want to tell our story. The same can be said for dairy
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Milk Products LLC calf nutrition team The energy calves need is most readily available to them by the fat in their diets. The best milk replacers start with high-quality, (human) edible-grade fat sources, which are the gold standard for animal milk replacers. Research supports the use of these high-quality fats to maintain the best
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist Determining the cause of scours in calves is often difficult. Unlike the majority of monogastric animals, ruminants cannot vomit to expel stomach contents before reaching the small intestine. Newborn calves also make low amount of stomach acid (to protect colostral antibodies), which is a natural
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Bob Hagenow, Vita Plus sales manager and dairy consultant Q: This winter has been very hard on my calf team. Working in the cold temperatures and struggling with equipment has everyone lagging. How can I help motivate my employees to charge through to warmer temperatures? A: Baby, it’s cold outside! First, let’s remember that
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Kevin Caspersen, Vita Plus dairy specialist As we all know, this winter has been a tough one on people, calves and heifers in the I-29 corridor. The memorable winter continues with the mercury dipping to zero or below 44 times this winter so far - the most since the winter of 1981-82, according to
Posted on February 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 talks about the things she does to get ready for spring. She puts a big focus on good ventilation and respiratory health. Visit our YouTube channel for other A Day in the Life of
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Calves Thrive With a Commitment to the Basics at Model Dairy Farms You can say dairy farming is in Kyle Levetzow’s blood. He and his wife, Amy, are the second generation to own and operate Model Dairy Farms at its current site just outside of Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Kyle oversees all daily operations and Amy works
Posted on February 28, 2014 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of Starting Strong Calf Chat, Ann explains the basics of a higher plane of nutrition and how essential these feeding programs have been during this winter's frigid temperatures. Visit our YouTube channel for more Calf Chat segments.
Posted on December 20, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Do you only have one calf feeder on your farm? Are you looking for a quick and easy way to feed pasteurized waste milk or milk replacer to your calves? Danae Stieglitz of Stieglitz Dairy LLC has a creative strategy that just might work for you. Visit our YouTube channel for more Calf Care Quick
Posted on December 20, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Peter Coyne, Vita Plus dairy field service specialist Many people who work with cows and calves on a daily basis have a solid understanding of animal behavior. They are fairly predictable. What about the people you work with? Today, dairies of all sizes depend on teams of people who work together to accomplish the
Posted on December 20, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Cody Yanzick, Vita Plus dairy specialist Let’s say your heifer program is struggling. Animals are getting bred and entering the milking herd later than they should. You know you need to make changes, but you’re not sure where to start. The old adage – you can’t manage it if you don’t measure it –
Posted on December 20, 2013 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dave Wood, director of technical services and sales, Animix, LLC Whole milk fails to meet basic vitamin and trace mineral requirements of the young milk-fed calf. Vitamin and trace mineral levels as reported by the USDA and calf requirements as reported in the 2001 NRC for dairy cattle show that a gallon of whole