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This is the second article in a two-part series on converting calves to ruminants. Convert calves into full-functioning ruminants is the first article in this series.
There are very valuable reasons to pursue increased performance in dairy calves. Several studies indicate significant positive relationships between average daily gain (ADG) during the first 65 days (with ADG ranging from 0.37 to 1.12 kilograms per day) and future milk yield.
The immune system is comprised of many complex biological structures and processes that work together to protect an organism from disease. In the newborn calf, the immune system is functional, but naïve and immature. Unlike most mammals, cattle do not transfer antibodies or immunoglobulins via the placenta. Instead they transfer it through the colostrum.
There is family history on the farm that Stanley Fraser purchased in 1927. Originally a mixed farm, as most were in those days, the business has seen a number of changes over the years.
Editor’s note: This is the first article in a series. Calf development is in producers' hands is the second part of this series.
It’s impressive the amount of information we have regarding calves nowadays. Sometimes it seems a difficult task to stay ahead of the different pieces of research constantly being published or discussed in meetings and conferences, and we wonder if even the scientific community has reached an agreement on some aspects of raising dairy calves.
It is an exciting time in calf research. Over the past decade, several studies have challenged traditional approaches to feeding calves and showed the benefits of feeding more milk to improve health, growth rates, feed efficiency and animal welfare in dairy calves. One of the key findings of the past decade – which has motivated farmers to pay closer attention to calf management – is that the way we feed and manage calves during the pre-weaning period can influence milk production later in life.
The first months of a calf’s life span are the most critical stages of development, where immune, digestive and metabolic systems are maturing, alongside rapid structural growth. The potential to develop to their full genetic capacity and best utilize this most efficient period of growth can be jeopardized and lost by poor health.
Proper calf selection is beneficial for your 4-H dairy career. Creating your desired calf through strategic breeding is an approach to consider when building your show string.
There is no doubt that dehorning (also referred to as disbudding) is painful. Given that much of the horn as well as the skin surrounding the horn is highly innervated, dehorning elicits immediate and acute reactions from calves. However, the pain from dehorning can and should be minimized.
By focusing on excellent calf care for both heifers and bull calves, Sterkholm Farms is capitalizing on the farm’s potential both in future milk production and diversification in veal.
When Ben Sterk took his earnings from the oil fields in Alberta to start a dairy farm in Embro, Ontario, with 35 cows, he could see the potential. Thirty years later, Sterkholm Farms Ltd. now encompasses 350 cows on two dairies with 1,900 acres, a veal operation, a custom field work business and a seed company.
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