Starting Strong – Calf Care

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

Failure of passive transfer is one of the biggest factors affecting calf health and mortality. Not only is it important to make sure your calves are getting colostrum in a timely manner, but it is also important that the colostrum you are feeding is of the highest quality. How do you evaluate colostrum quality? Several

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator I recently had a very interesting discussion with a producer’s calf, and she asked if she could share her “Dear Santa” letter with me. Brought to you right from Cali the Calf: Dear Santa, Santa, I have been very good this year. I drink my milk and

Every once in a while, it’s beneficial to leave the farm and take in the big picture of the dairy industry.  More than 400 producers, industry partners and Vita Plus employee owners did just that at the recent Vita Plus Dairy Summit 2011. During his kick-off presentation, Al Gunderson, Vita Plus vice president of sales

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 Plus. Q: How do I know that my calves are getting enough energy during cold weather conditions to maintain and gain body weight? A: One

We track growth when we’re looking at calf performance, but it sometimes slips our mind when it comes to the simple things. Remember, calves grow quickly and the calf jackets and collars (for autofeeders, tethering, etc.) they received on day 1 might not fit as nicely a couple of weeks later. Once a week, make

In this edition of Starting Strong Calf Chat with Ann, we're reminded that chilly temperatures and lots of snow will be coming our way soon. Ann covers the basics of bedding, nutrition and more as we look to winter.

Vir-Clar Farms:  A Look Back at the Last Five Years Five years ago, Katie (Boyke) Grinstead jumped headfirst into her lifelong dream.  She returned to her family’s dairy to build the calf operation and raise her kids on the farm. Building success Vir-Clar Farms, LLC is owned and operated by Gary and Rose Boyke.  Their

We know that feeding starter early in the calf’s life helps develop the rumen and boost performance. But a lot more goes into a good starter than oats, corn, molasses, fat and a pellet. During his presentation at the 2011 Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference, Dr. Mark Hill with Provimi North America shared his insight

Vaccinations can play a valuable role in ensuring calf health in any season. That said, they should never be used as a way to overcome poor management. That’s according to Dr. Chris Chase with the South Dakota State Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department. “In general, vaccination is used too much and too often,” Chase said.

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator Cold weather is approaching. In order to maximize performance and health, you need to provide the key ingredients, including enough calories, high quality starter and water. Are you prepared to offer water this winter?  Even in cold temperatures, providing free choice water is essential for a successful

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator The 2011 World Dairy Expo was a great opportunity for me to meet with many of you and learn more about what’s happening on your calf operation.  Here are the top three questions I was asked as we went “around the world of dairy in five days.”

By Dr. Steve Hayes, DVM, Day 1 Technology Q: I am starting to have some high fevers and signs of pneumonia in my younger calves that are still on milk. I am not used to seeing this in such young animals. Is this a Salmonella issue or something else? A: Respiratory disease or pneumonia is

With this Starting Strong Quick Tip, we recap the steps for good bedding in the winter months.

Vita Plus is pleased to introduce to you the latest product to join our milk replacer line.  Calf Precision is a 24/18 milk replacer designed to captialize on the rapid early growth potential of calves, while allowing a seamless transition to consuming calf starter.  It provides increased nutrients for optimal early growth, improved immune function