to jump to the article. Summary: APC Inc.'s Jim Quigley explained that feeding colostrum to newborn calves is valuable for the next several days after birth. He recommends supplementing milk replacer with excess colostrum in order to provide calves with functional proteins, including antibodies. Because this article was so popular, we asked Quigley a follow-up question: Q: Are you seeing an uptick in producers feeding colostrum after the first 24 hours from birth?

Summary: In this article, Attica Veterinary Associates' Sam Leadley compares the nutrient needs of three sizes of heifers. He advises that for a 170-pound heifer to gain one pound a day in warm weather, she'll need to be eating between 3.5 and 4 pounds daily. Because this article was so popular, we asked Sam Leadley a follow-up question: Q: Why do you think this topic was of interest to producers in 2011? A: I believe most of us have fallen into the trap of “same old, same old” when it comes to feeding grain to weaned calves. What we were doing in the ’90s we kept doing the next decade as well. Why change? Heifers were alive, reasonably healthy. And who is checking on rates of gain? Underfeeding weaned heifers, primarily grain, is a silent thief. Letting these young heifers stand still or gain at a slow rate when their maintenance needs are low sets us up for having to pay for much more expensive gains later in life. When farm managers become aware of the potential profits that can be claimed by a small change in management they often want to know the details. How will size of heifer determine feeding rate? Will weather make a difference? These are down-to-earth questions that managers want answered by practical articles in Progressive Dairyman. —Sam Leadley, Calf Management Consultant, Attica Veterinary Associates [See the full list of the Top 25 articles of 2011. See the list from 2010.]