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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.
As I travel around the country and go from farm to farm, I see a good trend beginning to take hold as dairy producers are understanding the value of carrying extra heifer inventory.
The decision to feed whole milk or milk replacer to newborn calves continues to be a controversial topic among producers. Although whole milk meets all nutrient requirements for development, milk replacer is largely considered beneficial in terms of cleanliness, cost and its consistent composition.
Dr. Lowell T. Midla of Merck Animal Health recently discussed the importance of colostrum and vaccinations in the first three months of a calf’s life in a webinar hosted by the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association.
The dry period presents a key time frame to incorporate prevention points that not only guard cow health, but also the health of their offspring against the number one cause of neonatal calf deaths.
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