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Calves are essential to a dairy operation, as they represent the future of the herd and its income. They are also the most vulnerable segment of a herd, highly susceptible to disease with the highest mortality rate among dairy cattle in their first eight weeks of life.
With calves serving as the cornerstone of any successful dairy, every effort should be made to keep them protected and healthy. For the best care of calves, there are four main areas to consider.
Mastitis is one of the most common diseases affecting dairy operations as a detriment to cow comfort and, ultimately, profitability.
Traditionally, dairymen have relied on a five-point plan to control the disease that focuses primarily on sanitation and proper treatment of the herd.
But Dr. Stephen C. Nickerson, head of the Animal and Dairy Science Department at the University of Georgia, thinks there is one area that deserves greater consideration.
