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Just as more is less, bigger is not always better when it comes to the growth and development of dairy heifers. The nature and growth of dairy cattle has vastly changed from decade to decade, and as traits have been genomically bred out of cattle, often the idea of “bigger equals better,” has become a misjudged trend.
When it comes to ensuring the future success of a dairy operation, raising good replacement animals is essential. One of the most crucial steps in this process is colostrum management.
When are heifers “all grown up?” Not really until at least the end of their first lactation. And cows are not considered mature until around their third lactation.
There are many viral, bacterial, protozoa and nutritional causes of scours, and, because each farm is unique, there is no one perfect prevention method. Work with your veterinarian to find the right scours solution for your farm.
Creating lifelong immunity in baby calves has never been more important. A proactive approach to health, nutrition and management is a must from day one. Having a proper program in place not only improves the health of the animal, but it can also improve resilience to stress and disease.
Calf pneumonia is the second major cause of treatment and loss in pre-weaned dairy calves. Pneumonia is a preventable disease. Although, we can treat pneumonia in calves.
In Canadian dairy herds, the average stillbirth rate is 8 percent, but this varies between 0 and 17 percent across herds; the best 25 percent of these herds could be used as home-grown producer benchmarks for the industry.
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.
Many producers report problems rearing calves without disease. First off, it is important to understand that they are living beings and, as such, some will get sick. Second, these are babies, so they are more susceptible to disease than adults.
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