Starting Strong – Calf Care

Many of you open your farm gates to school tours to give students a better understanding of the food production. But those tour groups also include the next generation of agricultural leaders. As agriculture expands beyond the farm to the laboratory, test plot, manufacturing facility and public office, students need to learn what agricultural careers

On many dairies, calves are moved at least once to separate rearing facilities. Since we can’t buckle up baby calves in car seats, we have to find other ways to ensure the animals arrive safely and in good health.  As outlined in the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association’s Gold Standards III, here are some tips

It has certainly been an unseasonably warm winter for most of us. Although the warmer temperatures make it more enjoyable to work outdoors, it too comes with its fair share of challenges. In this edition, Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator, explores the changes you may need to make to your protocols for things

The Cows Take Center Stage Situated on the edge of Dane County, a half-hour away from Madison, Wis., Baerwolf Dairies, LLC is a unique family farm. Brothers Rob and James Baerwolf both attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and returned home to farm. Their wives – both named Jenny, coincidently – are also partners in the

In this edition of Starting Strong A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Cathy Speirs of Shiloh Dairy LLC dives into her calf feeding program. She shares how little tools and strategies can have a big impact on calf performance.

By Barry Visser, Vita Plus Dairy Technical Services What a winter!  Minnesota statistics to date would define it as the warmest on record in more than 134 years with only three sub-zero nights recorded thus far in the Twin Cities region. Last year at this time, we had received more than 60 inches of snow

Thanks to Alice Lindborg for submitting this edition’s Ask the Expert question. Alice received a free packet of Secure® 175 because her question was selected.  Dr. Neil Michael comes to Starting Strong with nearly 30 years of experience as a veterinarian specializing in dairy. He currently works as the director of dairy initiatives for Vita

By Dr. David Carlson, Milk Products   As the price of milk and the cost to produce milk continue to be volatile, multiple options to alter cash flow and/or profitability are considered. One commonly discussed option is implementation of a whole milk feeding program for preweaned calves. That decision should be made only after taking

Just like calves, a lot of your farm equipment needs regular observation to make sure it’s still in good shape. Your refrigerator is one of those things. Storing animal health products at the correct temperature is one key aspect of using them. Improper storage can cause products to lose their effectiveness. Refrigeration at 35 to

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator What is biosecurity and where does it start? Biosecurity refers to those measures taken to keep diseases out of populations, herds or groups of animals where they do not currently exist or to limit the spread of disease within the herd. The responsibility for farm-level biosecurity belongs

By Andrea M. Bloom, Vita Plus marketing and communications specialist, and Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator You’re never too young to speak up for dairy. A recent 4-H youth training session reminded us of that. About a month ago, we were asked to help out with a program for Dane County 4-H youth

  By Dr. Neil Michael, Vita Plus director of dairy initiatives Do you use a body tape to monitor calves’ body condition?  Here are a few guidelines for using the tool to accurately monitor calf performance: Use a body tape intended specifically for calves to ensure accurate weights. Weigh five to 10 newborn calves to

We're taking a different approach with this edition of Vita Plus Starting Strong Calf Chat with Ann. Instead of focusing on calves, we're going to take a moment to focus on people and the steps you can take to ensure your calf care team has a safe and comfortable environment to work in as the

Trans Ova Genetics: Outstanding Care for Calves with High Genetic Potential Drive past Trans Ova Genetics in Sioux Center, Iowa and it looks like any calf-raising facility with rows of calves in hutches. Spend any time there and you’ll quickly realize it’s a unique place to be. Trans Ova Genetics provides reproductive services for dairy

In this edition of Starting Strong A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Cathy Speirs of Shiloh Dairy LLC gives an insider's tour of Shiloh's maternity facility and walks us through newborn protocols. She also shares how her management practices change with cold weather.

Long, cold winters are hard on everyone and it is always a constant struggle to keep vital areas of your dairy operation warm. One of these important pieces is baby calves. Many people rely on heat lamps to keep newborn calves from catching a chill once they are born. But, are heat lamps really a