Starting Strong – Calf Care

Aiming for Excellence in Calf Raising At MCAA Land & Cattle Co. in Winamac, Ind., perfection is the goal and hard work is the name of the game.  The farm is owned and operated by Maurice Loehmer with the help of his son, Adam.  Connie, Maurice’s wife, and Ashley, Adam’s wife, also provide support for

What’s the weakest part of your calf program? Chances are it’s the transition pen, where calves usually first experience group housing. After weaning, calves are usually housed individually for another few days or weeks. Then a calf goes to the transition pen when it is 8- to 12-weeks-old. Sometimes, calf raisers feel the initial phase

The last edition of Starting Strong included the first three of the six categories defined in the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s (DCHA) Gold Standards. Dr. Gary Neubauer, a veterinarian with Pfizer Animal Health, said the Gold Standards give producers benchmarks to gauge their calf management programs and focus on the areas that could be

From Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator Respiratory disease is a leading cause of mortality in calves under six months of age. In addition to death loss, respiratory disease causes other economic losses, such as high treatment costs, reduced growth rate, delayed calving and increased culling. Respiratory disease is an infection caused by inflammation

Ann’s Top 5 Favorites of This Year’s Show From Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus Calf Products Coordinator Outstanding cattle in the show ring – Cattle numbers were up this year and we saw some great looking animals in the show.  I personally saw some very impressive heifers walking through while I volunteered in the Ayrshire ring.

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: We have noticed a decline in colostrum quantity in late summer/early fall.  Is this common and why do we see this seasonal trend?

Badger Holsteins Care for Calf Raising Badger Holsteins in Unity, Wis. has been a family-owned farm from the beginning.  Started in a stanchion barn, Larry Meyer, along with his sons, Jeff, Joe and Terry, recently expanded the farm to 1,200 cows.  The cows are housed in a new cross-ventilated freestall barn and are milked in

 After a very hot, dry summer, it doesn't seem possible that we can already be talking about winter prep. But it is that time of year. In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann reminds us of the simple steps we need to take to get our calves ready for winter.  For more winter prep