Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Sean Sherrod, dairy and beef consultant For calf raisers here in southern Illinois, the summer’s drought has had a big impact on autumn management decisions. In this part of the Midwest, seasonal calving is common, especially on dairies with fewer than 300 cows. It’s simply too hot to have those calvings during the summer,
Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Dr. Owen Mickley, DVM, works as a dairy specialist in eastern Ohio. Prior to joining Vita Plus, Mickley served as a practicing veterinarian in New York and Ohio for three years. Q: Lately I have noticed an increase of navel infections, ear tag infections and joint swelling on our farm and this seems to happen
Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Augusta Hagen, dairy nutrition and management fellow "Johne's disease has gone from a disease nonexistent in the USA (prior to 1908) to one that affects well over half of U.S. dairy herds," says Dr. Mike Collins with the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. Johne's is caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and is a
Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Molds – more specifically the mycotoxins they produce – can have a significant impact on dairy cattle performance, especially in young calves. That’s because rumen microorganisms in adult dairy cattle act to break down certain mycotoxins, making them less harmful to the animal. Young calves with undeveloped rumens don’t have that line of protection. This
Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, calf products coordinator As we talked about in Calf Chat, it’s time to get out your winter gear and re-establish your winter protocols. Although we’re a few weeks away from implementing all of the winter protocols, temperatures are dropping fast and it’s better to be ready than scramble at the last minute.
Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Gary Sipiorski, dairy development manager It was Henry Ford who invented the idea of the assembly line to build automobiles. He got the idea from observing the disassembly of beef carcasses in a slaughter plant. Cars in the early 1900s were built one at time from start to finish - a very slow and
Posted on November 13, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Basic sanitation practices go a long way in helping you limit the disease pressure calves experience. When it comes to storing calf supplies, follow these simple guidelines and you'll be on your way to a clean, healthy environment for your calves: Make it easy: All of your supplies should be easy to reach and easy
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Because they often require much less maintenance than baby calves, it can be easy to overlook transition calves when they move to group pens. However, you could be missing out on performance and health of these animals. In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann reminds us of the areas we should review frequently to make
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
Two Entities, One Goal – Quality Calf Care Located near Philips, Wis., in the heart of the state’s northwoods, United Pride Dairy started as a partnership between two neighbors in the 1990s. In 2000, the farm milked 200 cows and, by 2010, it had fully expanded to its current herd size of 1,650 cows, which
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
In this edition of Starting Strong A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, we meet Brooke Miller of Enchanted Dairy in Little Falls, Minn. and get a quick glimpse of the farm's calf program. A recent college graduate, Brooke has returned home to manage the Enchanted Dairy calf program. In future editions of
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Laura Zagorski, Dairy Service Specialist Like many areas in the Midwest, Michigan faced above average temperatures and dry conditions this summer. For calf raisers, this has created a need for a greater management emphasis on many of the basics. Even though fresh, clean water is always a vital nutrient required by our calves, it
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Dr. Becky Brotzman, DVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine associate outreach specialist, and Dr. Ken Nordlund, DVM, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine clinical professor Q: With the huge temperature swings in the late summer and early fall, I am always wondering how to handle the curtains in both my nursery and transition
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
With Rod Martin, Vita Plus Dairy Technical Services An unusually hot summer has led to higher heat stress not only for employees, but also dry cows. Even though summer is almost over, and the cooler temperatures are around the corner, dairy operations will still see a drop in milk production. Rod Martin, Vita Plus dairy
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
We all know replacement heifer health is important. When we think of this topic, we often think of respiratory health, foot and leg health, and other more common, physical health issues. But we also need to watch for heifer mastitis. You may be asking, “How does a heifer get mastitis before her first calving and
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator Transitioning a calf from its individual pen to a group pen can be very stressful. We always say three strikes and you’re out. That can really hit home for your transition calves. Stressors that can affect these animals are new location, socializing, feed change, locating feed and
Posted on November 9, 2012 in Starting Strong - Calf Care
By Kate Griswold, Cross Plains Wondermakers 4-H Club and Waunakee FFA Chapter Ever since I can remember, agriculture has been a part of my life. When I was eight, my dad bought our first Angus cow. Our herd has since grown to include multiple beef cows and a diverse realm of other animals including sheep,