This Makes my Life Easier: Wheelbarrow and Scale

Katie Grinstead and her calf team at Vir-Clar Farms LLC in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, use a simple wheelbarrow to move newborn calves from the maternity area to an individual pen.  En route, they put the wheelbarrow on a scale to get the weight.  They subtract the weight of the wheelbarrow from the total weight from the scales to get an accurate weight of the newborn calf.

“I feel it is important to know what you are starting with and getting a weight on a newborn calf really helps us determine the path we will take with her.  I like to look at average daily gains to make sure we are doing everything we can to produce a high-quality replacement.  Keeping it simple and easy also ensures that protocols are followed and things are consistent.” – Katie Grinstead, Vir-Clar Farms LLC