Productive life can be like a New Year’s resolution. It sounds like a good idea, but often it doesn’t come true. Increasing the productive life of dairy herds needs to be a priority for the dairy industry.

The number one goal of a feeding program is to promote healthy development from birth to freshening. Additionally, we want to maximize each heifer’s growth and genetic potential to its fullest – while also promoting healthy hair coats, good muscle tone and ideal body condition – when it matters most, show days.

In the realm of calf raising, the adage holds true: "You can't manage what you can't measure." From birth to weaning, a variety of tests and measurements can help you evaluate the success of your calf-raising protocols, provide insights into calf health and highlight areas for improvement.

As the newest member of my company’s youngstock nutrition team and the most recent returning member to my family dairy, I value the efforts taken by my supervisors to identify and apply my skills and strengths effectively to get the job done.

Long-day lighting for heifers follows the same recommendations as lactating cows. The goal is to provide constant and evenly distributed light levels for a period of 16 to 18 hours of light and six to eight hours of darkness in the barn.

“Do you have good luck when it comes to raising calves?” That’s a question you have likely been asked, but when it comes to preventing scours and ensuring calf health, it takes more than luck!

Mixing temperature and feeding calves IgYs can have a bigger impact on calf weight gain and health than expected.