Calves
Ammonia can build in calf hutches and affect growth, but small changes in bedding and daily management can help keep levels in check.
Many calves develop pneumonia days before showing symptoms. Lung ultrasounds are helping veterinarians detect the hidden disease earlier.
For producers striving to deliver consistent, high-quality colostrum to newborn calves, the most important management window may begin much earlier than previously thought.
Better airflow, thoughtful pen design and improved daily routines are helping calves thrive like never before on these two dairies.
The importance of colostrum in raising healthy, productive calves only continues to grow as we learn more about it.
When it comes to colostrum, more isn’t always better.
Dr. Blake Balrog outlines practical exam findings that help determine when oral therapy is sufficient and when it’s time to move to IV fluids.
Early recognition and intervention can determine whether compromised calves recover or fall behind.
Proper care and early colostrum set beef-on-dairy calves up for success during their first journey.
New research shows calves fed waste milk develop different immune cell and cytokine profiles than those fed salable milk, even when clinical health appears similar.
Experts say it’s time to feed colostrum according to quality not habit. When it comes to calf immunity, more volume isn’t always better.
Although warning signs are emerging, economists say record-high beef prices could hold for up to two more years. Tight supplies and strong demand continue to drive the market, but economists and producers are apprehensive with talks of reopening the border.
New data from four calf ranches highlight the dominance of respiratory disease and the year-round consistency of health challenges in beef-dairy cross calves.
A clean start begins at the navel. Good calving hygiene and early care are the simplest ways to prevent costly infections and improve calf health outcomes.
A trusted adjuvant can make all the difference in capturing a strong immune response in young calves.
Native to east Asia, the ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois, Michigan and Iowa.
More colostrum would be welcome on virtually every dairy farm, especially if it also had higher quality. A team of Cornell University researchers explored whether a dose of oxytocin could help fresh cows deliver either, or both.
Researchers continue to seek methods of monitoring animal health and welfare to anticipate health setbacks and improve the animals’ lives. The latest tool to do so: saliva.
With dairy replacements in tight supply and beef-on-dairy calves worth a small fortune, monitoring the health and management of livestock is just as crucial as keeping a close eye on financials.
Learning why and how some calves navigate life challenges better than others can provide clues into how to support individual animals to achieve better welfare and performance, particularly with the aid of precision livestock technologies.
If you’re thinking about installing an autofeeder system in your calf program, you’re headed into a fairly momentous management shift. Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor in Precision Dairy Science at Penn State University, shares advice on smoothing the transition.
It’s a common cause of calf disease, and it can be maddening when apparently healthy calves suddenly turn up dead. But there are offensive approaches to controlling Clostridia.
Calves need water year-around, including winter. Research evidence suggests 100°F should be the target temperature for calves’ water, matching their body and rumen temperature.
The runaway dairy heifer and calf markets of 2024 have cooled a bit at summer’s end.
While even average crossbred animals are bringing a decent profit, healthy, well-grown calves are worth top dollar.
While there are a myriad of factors affecting profitability on a dairy farm, the transition period continues to stand out as the most critical phase.
After a typical birth a calf should breathe within 30 seconds of delivery. If it doesn’t, be ready to intervene and provide extra support.