Imagine that your car will go 60 miles per hour in the summer but only 30 mph when the temperature is freezing, and it will not run at all when the temperature falls to 0ºF. This is an accurate illustration of how cold temperature adversely affects rate of gain in calves.

“What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” I often lean on this Ralph Marston quote when working with dairy farmers.  As a calf and heifer specialist, I firmly believe each day is a new opportunity to make a difference and help calves maximize lifetime performance by improving their nutrition and care. From a calf’s first breath to her introduction into the milking string, my job is to help dairy farmers raise strong, healthy animals that increase profits—all by simply doing the little things right.

Cold stress occurs when an animal expends energy to stay warm. Newborn calves are most susceptible to cold stress due to their low body fat and ratio of high surface area to body mass.