Starting Strong – Calf Care

By Jon Wilcox, Vita Plus western region dairy team sales manager A family with energetic boys raised cattle on a hobby farm. A well-intentioned neighbor, with decades of experience in cattle production, was critical of the “results” he saw and often shared his wisdom. One evening, as the neighbor was chastising the father, the mother

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator When heat stress hits on the farm, we often look to the cows first.  But did you know that heat stress can hit calves as hard as all the other animals on the farm? Heat-stressed calves may have reduced average daily gains or increased incidence of treatments. 

By Augusta Hagen, Vita Plus dairy nutrition and management fellow A top goal for dairy farmers and nutritionists is to raise healthy calves that will transition into long-term members of the milking herd. Although the goal is simple, many factors play a role in raising a healthy replacement, including the nutrition program. A majority of

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

By Dr. Steve Hayes, DVM, Day 1 Technology Q:  We are considering the purchase of a colostrum pasteurizer.  What are the pros and cons of these systems?  If we do purchase one, how do we know if it's working? A:  Pasteurizers have really become popular in the past 10 years on dairies and calf raising

By Richard Mensendike, Vita Plus Lanark dairy specialist Now that summer has finally arrived here in northwest Illinois, we’re focusing on a lot of the basic management protocols we need to follow to keep calves healthy in hot weather. Fly control seems to be the top issue on most calf raisers’ minds.  This trend started

In this edition, Brooke Carrow of Enchanted Dairy describes her process for observing calves and making treatment decisions.  Visit our YouTube channel for more segments of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser.

Attention to Detail Leads to Calf Care Success at Stieglitz Dairy LLC Hutches are considered by many to be the ideal housing for young calves.   Yet the outdoor pens can be tough on calf raisers, especially during the cold, icy and snow-filled winter months in central Wisconsin.  How do you maintain excellent calf health while

In this edition of Starting Strong Calf Chat, we're focusing on keeping calves cool as temperatures get hot.  Remember the basics: water, clean and dry bedding, and good ventilation.  Visit our YouTube channel for more Calf Chat segments.

You hate to waste grain and throw it out after the rain hits it.  This Quick Tip provides and easy strategy to keep that from happening.

By Peter Coyne, Vita Plus dairy field service specialist As things warm up, our farms are getting busy once again with spring cleaning, field work and more.  While the nicer weather might boost our moods, the approaching busy season can also be a stressful one.  That’s when labor management becomes so important. Labor plays a

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator With fly season quickly approaching, have you thought through your plan of attack?  Some places still have snow on the ground, but the weather can turn quickly and having an established plan can save you lots of time and energy this summer. According to research from Purdue

Genomics has become a hot topic of discussion on today’s dairy farms as producers look for innovative solutions to maximize performance and improve profitability in their herds. Cheryl Marti, dairy production specialist with Zoetis, said this new technology can be worth the investment on well managed farms.  She said Zoetis views genetic improvement as an

Many calf raisers are in a spring cleaning mode as they look toward the summer months.  But keeping calf hutches clean should be a year-round priority. Brian Wesemann is the director of sales for Calf-Tel, a manufacturer of calf pens, hutches and group-housing systems.  He says calf raisers should really think of the calf hutch

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

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