Raising crossbred calves for the beef market requires intensive management with a focus on calf health and nutrition. Getting calves off to a good start, and getting them to grow well, necessitates providing a low-stress environment and feeding for gain.

Raising replacement heifers is one of the largest investments made on a dairy. The costs associated with heifer raising can represent up to 20 percent of milk production costs, making this line item the second- or third-largest expense for an operation, after feed and possibly labor.

Right-sizing the heifer population to fit replacement needs not only reduces raising costs, but it can also provide an opportunity for the best future milking females to thrive.

Calves are an investment for the future. How you protect that investment could have big consequences for their future productivity.

During the gestation period, a cow does all it can to grow an embryo into a calf. The dam’s contributions for its offspring to be successful do not cease at parturition. Instead, its mammary gland secretes a substance with necessary growth factors to set the calf up for life.

Everyone can use a little less stress in their lives, especially farmers. Fortunately, there are unlimited options to help you relax and de-stress.

After the time and attention that has been invested in raising and breeding heifers, it can be easy to transition heifers to the pregnant pen and put them on autopilot until calving. However, there are some critical things that need to be monitored during this time period to ensure we are on target to meet dairy goals, and that those goals align to being a profitable dairy farm.

In 2015, MGD Farms in Union Grove, Wisconsin, added onto their calf barn to accommodate their growing herd. The 500-cow dairy is co-owned and managed by cousins Myron Daniels and Dave Daniels with help from their now semi-retired partner, Gene Weis.

After growing their milking herd from 300 cows to 500, Myron Daniels, co-owner of MGD Farms in Union Grove, Wisconsin, had too many calves for their 25-pen calf barn.

The value of consistency, doing the little things right every day, these are always good ideas, but even more so in the current dairy climate. Cold weather calf care is a great example of how recommitting to the basics, and consistently doing things right, pays off in improved calf health and down-the-road cow productivity.