An important factor in calfhood health is the presence of maternal antibodies in calf serum during the critical first few weeks of life for protection from disease. One study shows that compared to maternal colostrum, feeding a lacteal-derived colostrum replacer provides a more uniform range of antibody titres to some common respiratory viruses affecting calves.

Today we understand that calves must be offered much larger volumes of milk or milk replacer during the first month of life to achieve their growth potential and remain healthy. We have seen a move to group housing and automated feeding of calves, with some producers offering free-choice intake of milk or milk replacer.

Owning and managing a dairy brings a large number of different challenges on a daily basis; this, in turn, often results in overlooking the basics of raising calves. Getting your calves off to a good start can be the key to raising quality heifers.

Last year, the Progressive Dairy Operators (PDO) surveyed members about the feeding, management and health of their pre-weaned calves on the farm. PDO received survey replies from 154 farms. The average farm milked 136 cows, with a range of 22 to 630 cows milked on the day the survey was completed.

Best management practices allow all the good things for the baby calf that keep her properly nourished and comfortable as she grows from heifer into her first lactation. We like to think these include automatically good feet and legs that will walk right into the fresh cow group ready to create farm profit.