SenseHub Dairy Youngstock monitoring technology from Merck Animal Health tracks calves from birth and flashes an indicator light when activity, rumination, eating or other behaviors deviate from the baseline. The same eartag can also continue tracking behaviors throughout the animal’s entire life.

Genetic and genomic evaluations for Resistance to Diarrhea (DIA) and Resistance to Respiratory Problems (RSP) will represent the expected resistance of an animal’s offspring to these issues in a herd with average management conditions. Final approvals are being wrapped up, with the goal of introducing these traits for Holstein and Jersey breeders soon.

Not only do we deal with stress in our lives, but we often create stressful situations for the animals we care for. Recognizing these events and taking measures to provide the animals with mechanisms to deal with stress can help them bounce back more quickly.

Just as solid structural pillars form a strong foundation for the barn, these seven pillars of calf raising are powerful steps to help build a solid foundation for the future milking herd.

A calf’s gut is a blank slate at birth, but bacterial microbes quickly establish themselves within the first weeks of life. During this narrow window, the calf’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract is rapidly colonized by bacteria from equipment, colostrum and bedding – both beneficial as well as harmful.

Have you said or heard someone say, “Yeah, we have diarrhea in the calves, but they get over it quickly.” Do they? How bad can a few “bad days” really be? However, what if we were to tell you that the duration of diarrhea is linked to decreased growth rates and reduced milk production in the first lactation? It matters a whole lot more than we give it credit for.