Starting Strong – Calf Care

By Dr. Kevin Ratka, Vita Plus dairy specialist
When it comes to colostrum quality, it is not only the amount of antibodies present in the colostrum that matters, but also the hygiene of the colostrum being fed. Colostrum needs to be clean to achieve healthy calves.

Refrigerated or frozen colostrum must be carefully thawed and warmed before it is fed to a calf to preserve immunoglobulins. Producers can easily build their own colostrum thawing and heating unit to accomplish this task.

Using a Camelbak brush to clean esophageal feeder tubes has made life easier for the team at Schilling Farms LLC.

The team at Homeland Dairy LLP in Brandon, Wisconsin, operates by the KISS principle:  Keep It Simple and Straightforward.  That philosophy has led to outstanding calf health and performance.

In this edition of Calf Chat, Dr. Noah Litherland discusses the goals of ventilation systems and how seasonal changes can influence those goals.  

We're pleased to introduce Jill Houin and the Homestead Dairy team in Plymouth, Indiana. Throughout 2020, Jill will share her calf program and experiences with us.

Dr. Noah Litherland, Vita Plus dairy youngstock technical specialist
Knowing your feed cost of gain is an important consideration when selecting and evaluating a nursery calf feeding program. This cost of gain calculator can be used to estimate the cost of gain for a nursery calf program. 

By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Alta Genetics associate veterinarian
Failure to provide a clean, well-managed maternity area can lead to calves ingesting manure laden with E. coli, which can then travel to and infect the bloodstream. This is can lead to infection in one or multiple joints.

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator
Consistently delivering fresh starter and getting calves to eat it can be a hassle. Here are five ways to get starter in front of calves. 

Using an expandable folder that is prepacked with everything needed to process newborn calves has made life easier for the team at Birchen Farms Inc.

The calf program at Sunrise Dairy LLC in Suring, Wisconsin, has changed a lot in the 10 years Kayla Hischke has managed the youngstock program. From housing young calves in a calf barn instead of the dairy's old stone barn, to sending heifers to a Nebraskan custom raiser, the team has found ways to innovate and raise calves throughout the changes.

In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann Hoskins visits Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy to discuss their winter calf care protocols and "neonatal intensive care unit." 

In this edition of A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Brianna Hackbarth, a calf manager at Fischer-Clark Dairy Farm Inc., walks us through the farm's winter calf processing procedures.

By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus dairy technology specialist
As computer herd management programs improve, calf raisers have the opportunity to define what information needs to be recorded that can help treat calves and identify strategies for improvement.

By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Vita Plus calf and heifer specialist
The past two years have both been wet years, which is often associated with an increased risk for bovine respiratory disease in cattle of all ages. Consider these strategies to improve gut health and overall immune function.

By Dr. Jenn Rowntree, Vita Plus calf and heifer specialist
Vaccines are an important part of any calf raising program, however, we may not be handling them correctly to get the most out of them. Here are five ways to protect vaccine quality.