It’s been noted over and over. Good heifer reproductive performance is essential to overall herd performance and profitability. That’s because successful dairies have quality replacements entering the herd on time and at minimal cost. Plus, heifer reproductive performance can act as a signal to indicate the general function of total herd reproduction.

No concept has been talked about more in the dairy cattle breeding world over the past few years than “genomics.” This compelling science has resurfaced a global intrigue for genetics. It is a very compelling science and has made genetics as popular of a topic as it was following the advent of artificial insemination. But why is genomics such a big deal? Because it really works.

Getting calves off to a great start means paying attention to all the little details or “sweating the small stuff.” The young ones seem especially sensitive to changes in management, diet and even weather. The results of lapses in management largely depend on the age of the calf and its surroundings. Early in life, management problems usually manifest themselves as diarrhea whereas, after weaning, respiratory problems are more typical. The common thread that ties together management issues, pathogen exposure and incidence of disease is the animal’s immune response. Healthy, properly fed and well-managed calves maintain strong immunity; thus, when they’re exposed to a potentially disease-causing pathogen, their immune system is strong and robust.

Although easy to remember, the 4-4-4 rule in colostrum management is often difficult to put into practice. This rule states that the cow should be milked the first four hours after calving and that the calf should be provided with 4 quarts of high-antibody colostrum within four hours after birth. Scientific explanations backing up that rule are quite simple: 1. Immunoglobulins G (IgG) present in high amounts in mammals’ blood are transferred into the colostrum during its production. However, the concentration of IgG in colostrum varies enormously from animal to animal and also depends on colostrum milking time and on water dilution effects.

Dairy producers battle daily with the devastating performance and economic effects of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in their herds. According to the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), respiratory disease (commonly known as pneumonia) is the most important disease in calves older than 30 days. It results in an average loss of $15 per calf per year. While the battle continues, dairy producers have made significant improvements in respiratory disease management. Following the 2007 NAHMS survey, we polled dairy producers from 23 states about respiratory calf care. The survey represented more than 775,000 calves from 174 operations.

Raising quality dairy replacement heifers is not an inexpensive or simplistic endeavor. If your goal is to rear heifers that reach desired breeding parameters early so that animals begin puberty, establish a pregnancy and calve easily and on time, you must be aggressive in your heifer management program. Plus, you must accomplish these objectives at a reasonable cost. Feed cost is generally the largest expense for raising replacement heifers, and margins require that dairies be prudent when managing heifer growth and performance. However, while daily rearing cost is important, it is really only part of the picture.

There are several ways to get heifers bred quickly after they move into the breeding pen. “Walk and chalk” is the strategy of choice for Vance Kells, owner of Circle Bar Heifer Ranch in Satanta, Kansas.

The developing horns of dairy calves are typically removed to reduce the risk of injuries to farm workers or other cattle later in life. Horns of calves 3 months old or older are normally removed surgically (“dehorning”) by scooping, shearing or sawing. Horn buds of younger calves are typically removed (“disbudding”) using a caustic paste or a hot iron. There is scientific evidence that all of these methods cause immediate pain and post-operative pain. The immediate pain can be reduced using a local anesthetic to provide a nerve block – this procedure has been used safely for decades and costs just pennies a shot. Pain can persist 24 hours or more – this longer-lasting pain can be reduced using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like the ibuprofen you take for a headache). Providing calves a sedative before the procedure can reduce handling stress and make the procedure easier to carry out.