Continuing with the theme of nutrition at calving, we’ll now shift focus to how it relates to colostrum production along with management for the calf. Born essentially without immunity, calves don’t yet have the necessary antibodies to shield them from disease, which is why they have to rely on their mother for the immunoglobulin-rich nourishment of colostrum through passive immunity.

Colostrum management is a topic that comes around each calving season, and cattle producers should understand the importance of getting proper colostrum intake.

Protecting the investment in your heifer herd has never been more important. We tend to put a lot of emphasis on genetic progress with our breeding programs, but we fail to partner that with a quality heifer management program to allow our heifers to express their full genetic potential.

Raising dairy heifers off-site increases the possibility of disease introduction, especially if animals are reared in a facility where they commingle with cattle from other dairies.