When I get questions about hydration from calf raisers, it is almost always associated with heat stress or health events. Why do we think of hydration as a reactionary tool? We talk preventative care in calves every day, so why not approach hydration the same way?

As a calf raiser, I ask myself: If dehydration is the number one killer of calves, why don’t we practice both proactive and reactive approaches to keeping them hydrated?