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As the dairy industry embraces automation, there is a shift to move calves indoors rather than house them outside in hutches. When moving calves into calf rooms or barns, the first question should be whether calves will be housed in groups with automated feeders or in individual pens with traditional nipple bottles.
Non-salable milk is normally used to feed calves. Non-salable milk is usually defined as excess colostrum, non-salable transition milk, mastitic milk or non-salable antibiotic-treated milk.
The first part of a calf’s life is spent as a monogastric, as the rumen is not fully developed at birth. As such, calves rely heavily on nutrients obtained from milk and, to a lesser degree, on nutrients from solid feed in the first few weeks of life.
From birth, it is an art and a science getting a viable calf to her first lactation. Unfortunately, it is also a large farm expense that can lead to some poor choices and, ultimately, a less productive cow as a result.
Group-housing calves is becoming a more common way to house and manage calves. Part of managing a group of calves is being able to scan the herd effectively for individuals that need more attention.
Henria Holsteins Inc. is a family-owned dairy business in Grey County near Conn, Ontario. Henk and Maria Pastink, their daughter Reba and son Gerrit are the proud owners of this large modern facility.
Do I feed hay? Would my calves grow better on a TMR? With industry experts arguing both sides of the issue, it’s sometimes hard to figure out which road to take.
The increased concern of modern societies on the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led regulatory institutions to minimize the number of antibiotics that can be used in food-producing animals for therapeutic and preventive treatment of infectious diseases.
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