Dairy Calves - News

Beyond the Binder: Transform Farm Protocols into Living Tools for Success

Fri, 22 May 2026 14:41:25 GMT

In the corner of many dairy farm offices sits a thick, white three-ring binder. Inside are the meticulously drafted protocols required for the National Milk Producers Federation FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) program. For some, this binder is a badge of excellence. For others, it is simply a hurdle cleared for a farm inspection, destined to collect dust until the next auditor arrives.

But for Dr. Jody Kull, an assistant teaching professor at Penn State University and a veteran veterinarian with nearly two decades of clinical experience, that binder represents something far more vital: It is a tool for risk abatement, a blueprint for consistency and the foundation of a farm’s legacy.

As she shared in a recent episode of “The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast,” the secret to a resilient dairy operation isn’t just having a protocol — it’s making that protocol a fluid document that breathes with the farm’s daily rhythm.

The Small Farm Challenge: Consistency in the Family Circle

Kull’s perspective is rooted in the reality of the small-to-mid-sized dairy. Having spent the majority of her career working with herds ranging from 70 to 200 cows, she understands employee training often looks different than it does on a 5,000-cow operation. On these farms, the employees are often family members, high school neighbors or college students working part-time.

In this environment, communication is frequently verbal and informal.

“We looked at what we had on the farm, and we were talking mostly family labor,” Kull explains. The challenge is ensuring “the way we’ve always done it” is actually the same way everyone is doing it.

She advocates for integrating protocol review into the natural pauses of farm life. Whether it’s a conversation over snack time or a discussion during dinner in the farmhouse, these moments are opportunities to align on calf feeding, bedding and temperature control. By moving these informal chats into the framework of a formal protocol, the farm ensures animal health doesn’t depend on who happens to be holding the bucket that morning.

The Foundation: Why Protocols Start with the Calf

When asked where a producer and veterinarian should focus their energy first, Kull’s answer is immediate: the calves.

“The calves are really what set them up for the future on that dairy farm,” she notes.

Because calf care often involves multiple people — a morning feeder, an afternoon feeder and perhaps a different person for a midday check. Variability is the enemy.

A strong calf protocol addresses the invisible details that can make or break a heifer’s growth:

Consistency in Mixing: If using milk replacer, is the temperature and concentration identical every time?
Environmental Monitoring: Are bedding levels adequate for the current weather?
Health Scoring: Are all caretakers using the same appetite and respiratory scores to identify a sick calf before it becomes a crisis?

By standardizing these tasks, a farm reduces the risk of stunted growth or high mortality rates, effectively abating the risk of a future herd that underperforms.

The High-Stakes Transition Window

Beyond the calf barn, the transition period is the most critical window for risk management. This is where protocols move from simple task lists to sophisticated management tools.

Kull emphasizes the need for specific procedures regarding how cows are handled and moved during the pre-fresh period. Once the cow is fresh, the protocol must be nuanced enough to account for the difference between a first-calf heifer and a seasoned third-calf veteran.

“How we are managing each of those fresh cows, and how are we going to integrate them back into the herd? Those are the big ones to really focus on,” she says.

A fresh cow protocol ensures metabolic issues are caught early and the cow’s return to the milking string is as seamless as possible.

The Fluid Document: Data Meets Observation

The most transformative part of Kull’s philosophy is the idea that a protocol should never be finished. In her practice, she encouraged clients to view their paperwork as a work in progress.

This evolution often happens organically during a routine herd check. If a veterinarian observes a group of cows off-feed or notices a spike in a specific health issue, the immediate question shouldn’t just be “How do we treat this?” but “What did we do differently?”

When a glitch occurs, Kull suggests pulling out the paperwork right then and there.

“Rather than just being a verbal conversation, we’d pull out the paperwork, maybe make a different flyer, maybe make sure that everybody’s on the same page,” she says.

This is where modern technology becomes an ally. Data from robotic milkers, activity ear tags, pedometers and DHIA records provide a real-time feedback loop. If the data shows a dip in performance, the protocol can be adjusted immediately to address the root cause. This turns the FARM program from a compliance burden into a dynamic shield against economic loss.

The Veterinarian as the Team Quarterback

For new veterinary graduates, the transition from clinical medicine to herd management consulting can be daunting. Kull acknowledges conversations at the kitchen table are the bedrock of trust, but they must eventually lead to documented action.

Her advice to the next generation of vets is simple: ask questions and take notes. By asking “Why are you doing that?” and “Do you see an effect from doing that?”, the veterinarian helps the producer see their own patterns.

Furthermore, the veterinarian serves as the bridge between various farm consultants. A successful dairy operation requires a team approach where the vet, the nutritionist, the hoof trimmer and even the banker are on the same page. Kull highlights the value of group texts and periodic roundtable meetings to ensure the nutritionist’s ration isn’t working at cross-purposes with the vet’s health protocols.

A Safe Food Supply Starts with a Plan

Ultimately, Kull’s approach to protocols is about more than just animal welfare; it is about the health of the community and the safety of the global food supply. By using the FARM program as a practical tool for risk mitigation, dairy producers can protect their investment, their animals and their livelihoods.

When a protocol is fluid, updated and communicated clearly to every member of the team, the white binder on the shelf becomes the most valuable piece of equipment on the farm. It is no longer just a set of rules — it is the roadmap to a sustainable and profitable future in dairy.

Beef-on-Dairy Calves May Scour Less than Holsteins, New Research Shows

Mon, 11 May 2026 18:44:36 GMT

Beef-on-dairy calves have long been a solid income stream on many dairies, turning into a steady payout when they leave the farm and move into beef systems. More recently, farmers have also started to notice these calves often require fewer individual health treatments than their purebred counterparts, adding to their overall profitability.

Researchers like Melinda Kovacs, a master’s student at the University of Guelph, have started to take a closer look at how these calves perform early in life, when most health challenges tend to show up. One pattern that keeps surfacing is that crossbred calves tend to have fewer digestive issues than Holsteins, especially scours.

In her work, Kovacs found beef-on-dairy crossbred calves have lower diarrhea rates, fewer days with scours and fewer repeat treatments than Holsteins during the rearing phase.

“Producers were finding that the health of these crossbred calves was improved,” Kovacs explained during a recent “The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast” episode. “They were finding less health challenges, or these animals were able to recover from disease a little bit better than the purebred calves.”

Fewer Scours Cases Stand Out

The study followed approximately 640 calves housed at a single calf-rearing facility over about 18 months. Kovacs analyzed records from 446 Holstein calves and 194 beef-on-dairy crossbred calves.

Using twice-daily health scoring, Kovacs and her team monitored diarrhea and respiratory disease while also collecting weekly body weights, milk intake and starter feed intake data.

When she compared the two groups at the conclusion of the study, one health challenge stood out immediately.

“We found that the Holstein calves had a higher incidence of diarrhea compared to the crossbred calves,” Kovacs says. “We also found that translated to fewer days with diarrhea.”

Beef-on-dairy calves_Suanne Blackwell

(Suanne Blackwell)

The same trend appeared when she evaluated severe diarrhea cases.

“This is what we were expecting based on kind of our communication with producers,” Kovacs says. “That the crossbred calves would have less diarrhea in the preweaning or the rearing phase.”

For dairy farmers and calf raisers, fewer scours cases can influence nearly every part of calf performance. Diarrhea remains one of the most expensive calfhood diseases on dairies due to treatment costs, lost growth, labor demands and long-term health setbacks.

Crossbred Calves Needed Fewer Repeat Treatments

Kovacs also examined therapeutic interventions and found another difference between the groups.

“We did find that the Holstein calves had a higher hazard of being treated multiple times for both diarrhea and respiratory disease,” she says.

Respiratory disease rates themselves were similar between breeds, but the need for repeated treatment was higher in Holsteins. That finding could become more important as dairy and calf-rearing operations focus on reducing antibiotic use while still keeping calves healthy and performing well.

“Perhaps there’s a greater ability of these crossbred calves to recover from diseases compared to Holstein calves,” Kovacs adds.

Why Are Beef-on-Dairy Calves More Resilient?

(Farm Journal)

The study wasn’t designed to pin down exactly why the differences are showing up, but Kovacs thinks genetics likely play a role.

“In the dairy industry, we see a lot of inbreeding depression with the Holstein animals,” she says. “And I think perhaps we have some heterosis or hybrid vigor in these crossbred animals.”

Selection pressure may also contribute to the performance gap. Dairy genetics have focused on milk production traits, while beef genetics have emphasized growth and muscling.

“In the dairy industry, we’ve been genetically selecting for obviously higher milk production, whereas in the beef industry, we’ve been selecting for more growth traits,” Kovacs says. “So perhaps these crossbred calves are benefiting from the growth traits compared to the Holstein calves.”

She also found crossbred calves gained weight faster during the rearing phase.

“The crossbred calves did have higher growth rates, so higher average daily gains,” Kovacs says. “They were about [15 lb.] heavier than the Holstein calves when they were finished this rearing phase.”

Differences Continued Through Harvest

Kovacs and her team later expanded the project to follow some calves from birth through harvest at approximately 13 months of age. She wanted to better understand how calfhood health and management influence later feedlot and carcass performance.

Beef_carcasses

“Right now, there’s kind of a big disconnect between all of the different components of the industry, between the dairy farm of origin, the rearing, the feedlot and the abattoir,” Kovacs says.

The performance differences continued beyond the early rearing phase.

“The crossbred calves, I believe, were about [120 to 124 lb.] more in body weight compared to the Holsteins,” Kovacs says. “Which does have significant implications in terms of the cost benefit of these animals.”

She also identified differences in ribeye area and carcass composition, suggesting the advantages weren’t limited to early growth but carried through to how the animals finished at harvest.

More Research Still Needed

Even with the encouraging results, Kovacs says dairy producers should not assume crossbred calves require less attention or lower-quality care.

“With my findings, we see that they’re maybe more resilient or robust,” she says. “But I think those producers still need to be offering the best care to those calves to ensure their success.”

Kovacs adds that much of the existing calf research has historically focused on purebred Holsteins, leaving major knowledge gaps around nutrition and management requirements for beef-on-dairy calves.

“A lot of research that’s been done in the past has focused on purebred Holstein calves,” Kovacs says. “So, we don’t really know if the requirements of these crossbred calves for both maintenance and growth are the same as for a purebred Holstein calf.”

As beef-on-dairy programs continue to expand across the dairy industry, producers are paying closer attention to which calves stay healthier and perform better from start to finish. This research suggests fewer scours cases early in life may be part of the advantage, adding to the overall profitability of beef-on-dairy calves.

For more on beef-on-dairy, read:

Clearing the Air About Ammonia in Calf Hutches

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:52:09 GMT

Most calf hutches look fine from the outside. But what’s happening inside the hutch, especially at calf level, is not always as obvious.

When wet bedding and manure break down, they release ammonia. In hutches, it builds up right where calves are breathing. Even at fairly low levels, it can affect intake, growth and overall performance.

During a recent episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, David Casper, a dairy nutritionist and owner of Casper’s Calf Ranch in Illinois, explains how ammonia develops in calf hutches and what it means from a management standpoint.

Airflow is a Strength

Calf hutches continue to be widely used across dairies because they naturally provide strong ventilation and keep calves in individual spaces that are easy to manage. They also offer flexibility as herds grow and do not require the same level of infrastructure as enclosed barns.

“In my opinion, the hutch would still be the gold standard as far as having the best environmental quality you could have, especially air quality, and not have to deal with ventilation problems,” Casper says.

Even so, ammonia can increase as bedding becomes damp. By the time it’s noticeable, calves have already been exposed.

“When we started using soy hulls, I started noticing ammonia in the hutches,” Casper says. “I could smell it and really picked up on it. And that’s when we started getting concerned.”

That realization prompted a closer look at ammonia levels in hutches and how they relate to calf growth and health.

Measuring Ammonia

To better understand the issue, Casper evaluated ammonia levels in 90 calf hutches. Calves were placed in alternating hutches assigned to either a control or treatment group, and ammonia was measured weekly.

“Once a week, we come through with a personal ammonia detector that’s digital, and we would turn that with the measuring system face down on the bedding,” he says. “After 30 seconds, you get a stable reading, and that was the ammonia reading in the hutch.”

Control hutches averaged about 10 parts per million, while treated hutches averaged around 1.5 parts per million, an 85% reduction.

“We actually reduced the ammonia levels in the hutches by 85%,” Casper says.

That difference was significat, as performance challenges can begin once ammonia exceeds about 4 to 6 parts per million.

“Basically the range is four to six parts per million,” he says. “Above that, you will actually start seeing performance losses or performance challenges.”

Ammonia levels varied widely between hutches. Wetter bedding, scours and older calves were all associated with higher readings.

“Some hutches would have values up to 100 parts per million and other ones would be very low,” Casper says.

Ammonia also tended to increase later in the preweaning period as calves consumed more starter.

“For our studies, week seven and eight were probably the higher ammonia readings,” Casper says. “The first week had almost no ammonia readings because they’re on freshly bedded straw and fecal output is very minimal.”

Impact on Calf Growth

Lower ammonia levels were also tied to better performance. Calves in lower ammonia environments gained more weight during the preweaning period.

“We actually picked up on a growth response as well,” Casper says. “We got .14 pounds more average daily gain.”

Milk feeding remained the same, pointing to differences in intake and environment.

“The calves that were in the lower ammonia levels in the hutches ate more calf starter and had better growth rates,” he says.

Calves in lower ammonia hutches also showed greater increases in heart girth, indicating more overall body development.

Managing Ammonia in the Hutch

While most dairies are not measuring ammonia regularly, several management areas influence how much builds up in hutches.

Bedding is the biggest driver. Keeping bedding dry and well maintained helps limit ammonia. Deep straw provides insulation and absorbs moisture, but it needs to be refreshed regularly, especially later in the preweaning period.

“A calf can take a lot of cold weather if they’ve got deep straw bedding that they can nest down into and stay warm,” Casper says.

Moisture control is also important. Hutches with scours or poor drainage tend to have higher ammonia levels, so identifying problem hutches early can help target extra bedding or cleanout.

Smell is another indicator. If ammonia is noticeable when checking calves, levels are already elevated.

Timing matters as well. Ammonia tends to increase as calves get older and consume more starter, so bedding management often needs to be more aggressive in the later weeks before weaning.

A few practical hutch-specific steps producers can use include:

Add fresh straw more often in the back third of the hutch, where moisture tends to build first
Pull wet bedding away from the calf’s resting area instead of just layering on top
Pay close attention to hutches with scouring calves and re-bed them first
Check bedding depth at the calf level, not just at the front entrance of the hutch
Clean or fully reset hutches between groups when possible to reduce carryover moisture

Paying attention to these areas can help keep ammonia levels lower and support more consistent calf performance through the preweaning period.

Hidden Pneumonia in Calves: Why More Dairies Use Ultrasound to Catch Respiratory Disease Early

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:06:16 GMT

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains one of the most common and costly health challenges in preweaned dairy calves. The challenge is that many cases develop long before calves show visible symptoms.

“By the time calves show obvious clinical signs of respiratory disease, lung damage may already be present,” says Aerica Bjurstrom, regional dairy educator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “That’s why tools that help us detect pneumonia earlier can make a big difference in calf health and long-term performance.”

Traditional diagnosis relies on symptoms such as coughing, nasal discharge, or elevated temperature. But these signs often appear late in the disease process. In many cases, calves may look completely healthy while still carrying lung infections.

This form of illness, known as subclinical pneumonia, can reduce growth, feed efficiency and even future milk production.

“The lungs can really act as an indicator organ,” Bjurstrom explains. “Respiratory disease often reflects larger management challenges, such as poor colostrum intake, nutrition issues, or environmental stress.”

The Hidden Pneumonia Problem

Research has shown that pneumonia often develops days before visible symptoms appear.

“Ultrasound allows us to see what’s happening inside the lung tissue, even when the calf looks normal from the outside,” Bjurstrom says. “In many cases, pneumonia can be present for days before any clinical signs appear.”

Studies suggest that 50% to 80% of pneumonia cases may remain subclinical for 7 to 14 days before producers notice symptoms. That delay can allow lung damage to progress before treatment begins.

“Sometimes calves with severe pneumonia don’t show obvious symptoms,” Bjurstrom says. “But an ultrasound exam can reveal lung lesions that tell us the disease is already present.”

How Lung Ultrasound Works

Lung ultrasonography allows veterinarians to examine calf lungs in real time using portable ultrasound equipment.

A normal lung appears air-filled on the scan and produces horizontal white lines that move with each breath. These lines indicate healthy lung tissue.

Changes in the image can reveal early disease.

“Comet tails are bright vertical lines that extend down from the lung surface,” Bjurstrom says. “A few may be normal, but severe or diffuse comet tailing can suggest interstitial disease caused by fluid or inflammation within the lung.”

More advanced disease appears as lung consolidation, where portions of the lung fill with inflammatory material instead of air. On ultrasound, these areas appear as solid gray regions.

Veterinarians often use a 0 to 5 lung scoring system to evaluate severity.

“This scoring system helps identify disease before calves begin coughing or showing nasal discharge,” Bjurstrom says. “Early detection allows for earlier treatment and better outcomes.”

Dr. Ollivett demonstrates positioning for thoracic ultrasound scanning on a calf’s right lung.

(Denise Garlow, University of Wisconsin)

Why Early Detection Matters

Even when calves show no visible symptoms, lung damage can affect their long-term performance.

In one study of more than 600 Holstein heifers, calves with lung consolidation detected at weaning were less likely to become pregnant and more likely to leave the herd before first calving.

Another study found calves with significant lung lesions in the first eight weeks of life produced 1,155 pounds less milk during their first lactation.

“These findings highlight why early detection matters,” Bjurstrom says. “Subclinical disease can still influence growth, reproduction, and milk production later in life.”

Improving Treatment Outcomes

Early detection can also make treatment more effective.

“When pneumonia is caught earlier, treatment tends to work better,” Bjurstrom explains. “We’re able to intervene before the disease becomes severe and causes permanent lung damage.”

Ultrasound can also help veterinarians monitor recovery.

“That monitoring aspect is important,” she says. “It helps ensure calves are improving and reduces unnecessary retreatment.”

A Management Tool for Farms

Beyond diagnosis, lung ultrasound is increasingly used as a herd management tool.

“Ultrasound gives producers objective information about lung health,” Bjurstrom says. “That can help guide decisions about treatment, culling, or adjusting weaning timing for calves that may need more time to recover.”

Regular scanning can also reveal herd-level trends tied to management practices.

“When used consistently, ultrasound becomes a benchmarking tool,” Bjurstrom says. “It can help farms evaluate colostrum programs, ventilation, sanitation, and other factors that influence calf health.”

A Growing Tool in Calf Health Programs

Portable ultrasound units have become more accessible and easier to use, making them more common in calf health programs. With proper training, scanning a calf’s lungs typically takes less than a minute.

“The equipment requires an initial investment, but the information it provides can be incredibly valuable,” Bjurstrom says. “Earlier detection can lead to better management decisions, improved calf growth, and fewer losses.”

As dairy farms continue adopting more data-driven management practices, lung ultrasound is giving producers a new way to detect disease sooner and protect the long-term potential of their calves.

“Lung ultrasound helps us move beyond waiting for visible symptoms,” Bjurstrom says. “It allows producers and veterinarians to identify problems earlier and take action before long-term damage occurs.”

Colostrum Quality Starts Weeks Before the Calf Arrives

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:00:49 GMT

On most dairies, colostrum management is treated as a short window right after calving. The first milking is collected, tested and quickly fed to the calf. But new research suggests colostrum quality is shaped weeks before it ever reaches the pail.

Research from Amanda Fischer-Tlustos examines colostrogenesis, the process that produces colostrum, and how nutrition, metabolism and mammary activity during the dry period influence what ends up in that first milking.

“We always talk about harvesting colostrum to feed the calves,” she said during a recent Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast. “But how are the cows producing it?”

Her work suggests the answer starts much earlier than many farms think, with high-quality colostrum developing gradually in the weeks leading up to calving.

Looking Beyond IgG

Colostrum conversations often revolve around immunoglobulin G, or IgG. Because calves are born without functional immunity, they depend on these antibodies from colostrum to establish passive transfer.

While IgG remains the cornerstone of colostrum quality, Fischer-Tlustos believes focusing only on antibodies overlooks much of what makes colostrum biologically powerful.

“I wanted to focus on it more than just IgG,” she says. “There’s all these other things in colostrum aside from IgG. Not just when is IgG transferred from the serum into the colostrum prior to calving, but also when are the macronutrients starting to be synthesized, and when are bioactive compounds starting to be synthesized or transferred?”

These additional components include hormones, growth factors and specialized carbohydrates known as oligosaccharides. Although they exist in much lower concentrations than fat or antibodies, they can have meaningful effects on calf development.

“To me, the definition of a bioactive compound is something that is present in low concentrations compared to IgG or fat,” Fischer-Tlustos says. “But even though they’re present at low concentrations, they could still have a really big impact on calf development and physiology.”

Taken together, these compounds reveal colostrum as a complex biological package rather than simply the first milk produced after calving.

“It’s almost like the cow has tailored her colostrum to the calf’s needs,” Fischer-Tlustos adds.

(File Photo)

A Staggered Timeline Before Calving

To understand when these components begin forming, Fischer-Tlustos followed a group of Holstein cows from dry-off through calving. The cows were dried off approximately eight weeks before their expected calving date, allowing researchers to monitor mammary changes throughout the dry period.

The team collected small samples of mammary secretions at regular intervals leading up to calving.

“We didn’t want to take too much, because then we could induce them into lactation, which would wreck our colostrum,” Fischer-Tlustos says.

What the team discovered was a surprisingly staggered timeline of colostrum formation.

Lactose and fat production, two hallmarks of normal milk secretion, began very close to calving.

“We found that lactose and fat really only start to turn on within about one to two days prior to calving,” she says. “And that makes sense to me. They kind of turn on with lactogenesis, which is milk production.”

Protein synthesis began slightly earlier.

“We found that protein starts to turn on about a week prior to calving,” Fischer-Tlustos says.

The timeline for IgG accumulation, however, followed a different pattern.

“When we looked at IgG, what we actually found was that it started to accumulate substantially in some cows even as early as six weeks prior to calving, and some cows were accumulating it even before that,” she says.

Because the cows in the study were dried off roughly eight weeks before calving, that means antibody accumulation began soon after the dry period started. The discovery challenged the assumption that the close-up period is the primary window for influencing colostrum quality.

“It kind of really started to reframe my thinking,” Fischer-Tlustos says. “We try to put in nutritional strategies or management strategies in the close-up period to try to drive more IgG transfer. But it made me think, maybe this isn’t the time we need to be looking at that.”

Further analysis reinforced the importance of early accumulation. Cows that began building IgG earlier in the dry period consistently produced better colostrum.

“The earlier it could accumulate in the prepartum secretion, the better the colostrum would be after she calved,” she says. “And we found that the more gradual or slowly that that accumulation could happen, the better for first milking colostrum.”

(Farm Journal)

Giving the Udder Rest

While studying differences between cows, Fischer-Tlustos began looking at another important factor: mammary activity during the dry period.

Her team measured indicators of mammary metabolism including milk yield at dry-off, mammary blood flow and uptake of metabolic fuels such as glucose and acetate.

“These were kind of indicators of mammary activity during the dry period,” she says.

The findings revealed a counterintuitive relationship. Cows whose udders remained more active during the far-off dry period tended to produce poorer colostrum.

“We found that cows that had more mammary activity during the far-off period had worse colostrum production,” Fischer-Tlustos says.

Many producers have seen these cows in the dry pen. They are the animals that never seem to fully dry off.

“We see cows in the dry pen that are like three weeks dry, and they have huge udders and they’re leaking milk still,” she says. “And I think these are those cows that have a lot of difficulty drying off, and they’re not able to get into that rest and regeneration state, which coincides with colostrogenesis.”

High milk production heading into dry-off appears to intensify the problem.

“We also found, too, that the more milk the cow made at dry off, she had more mammary activity in the far-off period, and then worse colostrum,” Fischer-Tlustos says. “This is even more exacerbated for our high producing cows, which are typically our ones that have trouble drying off.”

Nutrition and Metabolism Influence Composition

Additional work examined how prepartum nutrition influences colostrum formation. Beginning roughly 19 days before calving, primiparous and multiparous cows were fed diets with either high or low energy density.

Interestingly, the dietary treatments did not significantly affect IgG concentration or total colostrum yield. However, they did alter several other components.

Cows fed higher-energy diets produced colostrum with greater concentrations of insulin, somatic cells and sialic acid. At the same time, they had lower concentrations of total oligosaccharides.

The metabolic drivers of colostrum production also differed by parity. In first-lactation cows, colostrum yield appeared more closely linked to circulating glucose levels. Multiparous cows showed a stronger association with hormonal signaling, particularly insulin.

According to Fischer-Tlustos, these differences suggest that cows in different stages of life may rely on different metabolic pathways to support colostrum synthesis.

Rethinking Dry-Off

Another management factor that may affect colostrum development is the way cows are dried off.

According to Fischer-Tlustos, abrupt dry-off remains common practice.

“I read a review paper from 2020 that said 75% of U.S. farms are practicing abrupt dry off,” she says. “So just dry off in one day. Which is, from my standpoint, concerning from colostrum production, but that’s also really concerning for milk production.”

The challenge, she says, is that cows may not receive enough time for the mammary gland to fully transition from lactation to regeneration.

“I was trying to think of an analogy, and the Olympics were on,” she says. “You have to think they are like a pro athlete. They need to rest. They can’t just go right into the next Olympics two months later. They need a rest and regeneration period.”

Without adequate rest, the mammary gland may remain partially active during the dry period, limiting its ability to accumulate antibodies and other compounds needed for high-quality colostrum.

From Harvesting Colostrum to Developing It

Taken together, Fischer-Tlustos’ research suggests the industry may need to expand how it thinks about colostrum management.

Rather than focusing solely on the harvest and testing of colostrum at calving, her findings highlight the importance of the weeks leading up to it. Successful dry-off, controlled mammary activity and adequate time for mammary tissue to regenerate all appear to influence how colostrum develops.

For dairy producers striving to deliver consistent, high-quality colostrum to newborn calves, the most important management window may begin much earlier than previously thought. Long before the calf is born and the colostrum is harvested, the cow has already been building it.

How Two Wisconsin Dairies Rethought Calf Housing from the Ground Up

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:41:53 GMT

When a calf is born at McFarlandale Dairy or Rosy Lane Holsteins in Watertown, Wis., a lot of thought has already gone into where and how that calf will be raised. Both dairies have redesigned their calf housing systems to keep calves healthier, make the daily routine more efficient and improve long‑term herd performance. The farms recently shared their approaches and takeaways during a Professional Dairy Producers webinar.

However, the two farms arrived at that point through different circumstances. McFarlandale Dairy updated its calf facilities as the herd expanded and environmental compliance requirements changed. Rosy Lane Holsteins rebuilt its calf program after a fire destroyed its calf barn in 2022.

Despite those different starting points, both dairies focused on many of the same priorities: ventilation, bedding management, feeding consistency and facilities that make daily calf care easier for employees.

Designing Barns with Hutches in Mind

When Christine Bender returned to her family’s McFarlandale Dairy nine years ago, calves were raised in several different facilities across the farm. As the herd grew to roughly 1,950 milking cows across two sites, the number of replacement heifers increased as well. The decision to rebuild calf housing came as the farm updated its CAFO compliance plan.

“Basically, the DNR said you either need to put your hutches on concrete and contain everything that comes in contact with them, or put up barns,” Bender says.

The farm chose to construct new calf barns but spent several years researching options before beginning construction. Bender and her team visited dairies across the state and evaluated a wide range of housing systems, including automated feeder group housing and large multi-row calf barns. Even while looking at new technology, they continued to view calf hutches as the benchmark for calf health.

“We still believe to this day that calf hutches are probably the gold standard,” she says. “My husband made the point that the goal was to get calves as close as you can to calf hutches.”

That idea shaped the design of McFarlandale’s new facilities. Over the past two years, the farm has built four calf barns in two phases. Calves are still housed individually, but the barns are designed to mimic many of the environmental benefits of hutches while improving labor efficiency and environmental control.

Ventilation Becomes the Biggest Focus

Ventilation quickly became one of the most important management factors. The first barns were built using university guidelines recommending roughly four air exchanges per hour. After consulting with ventilation specialists, the farm began increasing airflow targets.

“For us, the biggest challenge has been ventilation,” Bender says.

Fans were adjusted to six to eight air exchanges per hour and later increased further as the team evaluated calf health data. In the newer barns, McFarlandale added larger fans and additional ventilation strategies, including large ceiling fans with reversible winter settings.

“Now we don’t ever fully close those curtains,” Bender says. “We always leave them cracked so we’re allowing more fresh air.”

The farm now aims for roughly 11 to 12 air exchanges per hour while still avoiding drafts at the calf level. Improvements in ventilation have coincided with lower treatment rates for respiratory disease in recent groups of calves.

Pen Flooring Built for Easier Cleanouts

The flooring design in the calf pens also reflects lessons from the farm’s earlier hutch system. Concrete extends a short distance into each pen, followed by a gravel base that can be removed and replaced during cleanout.

“When we clean out our pens, we scoop all that out with a skid loader and then we can put fresh gravel down,” Bender says.

This setup allows the farm to fully reset pens between groups. The new barns also make it possible to operate with an all-in, all-out calf flow, giving pens time to be cleaned and rest before the next calves enter.

Bedding and Feeding Management Evolve

Bedding management remains another important part of the program. McFarlandale relies heavily on straw for nesting during the winter months and often mixes in sawdust during warmer weather. Pens are bedded frequently to keep calves dry.

“We’ll bed probably every other day because we believe dry calves are healthy and growing calves,” Bender says.

Feeding protocols have also changed over time. What once was a twice-daily feeding schedule has evolved into a more structured system where calves are fed every eight hours. Calves typically remain on milk for about 10 weeks and stay in the calf barn until roughly 12 weeks of age before moving to the next facility.

Growth rates have improved as feeding intensity increased.

“We were probably starting at 1.5 lb. average daily gain,” Bender says. “We got to 1.8 pretty easily just by feeding more milk, and now we’ve been able to attain that 2 lb. average daily gain.”

Lung Ultrasounds to Monitor Respiratory Health

Monitoring respiratory health has also become more precise. McFarlandale Dairy uses lung ultrasound scoring to identify respiratory disease that might not be visible during daily observation.

Before adopting ultrasound screening, Bender believed pneumonia was relatively uncommon in their calves. The scans showed otherwise, identifying cases of subclinical respiratory disease that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

In the hutch system, about 25% of calves required treatment based on ultrasound results. When calves first moved into the barns, treatment rates increased as high as 50%. But as ventilation strategies were adjusted, those numbers began to decline.

More recently, treatment rates have dropped as low as 10% in some groups. The lung ultrasound scores now serve as an important management tool, helping guide treatment decisions as well as ventilation adjustments.

(Maureen Hanson)

A New Calf Barn Built Around Group Housing

Across town at Rosy Lane Holsteins, the redesign of calf housing came after a barn fire destroyed the farm’s original calf facility in 2022. The previous barn had been built in the late 1990s and housed calves in individual pens with tube ventilation. In the years leading up to the fire, the farm had already begun experimenting with paired and group housing systems while working with researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

After the fire, the farm’s partners had to decide whether to rebuild the calf facility or outsource calf raising.

“We all decided as partners that it was best to keep calves in house and raise them ourselves,” says Sam Peetz of Rosy Lane Holsteins. “Part of Rosy Lane is taking care of animals.”

Wisconsin dairy farm

(Rosy-Lane Holsteins)

The Rail Housing Choice

As the farm researched potential designs, one facility visit stood out. During a trip to South Dakota, the team toured a calf barn where calves appeared alert and active shortly after feeding. The facility used a rail housing system, where calves are individually housed in open pens along a central feed alley, a design that allows for strong airflow while keeping feeding and chores efficient.

“All the calves were up, perky, alert and eating grain,” Peetz says. “They looked awesome. It made sense to us that this was the type of system we wanted.”

The new calf barn opened in April 2025. Rosy Lane currently milks about 1,815 cows across two sites, and calves are raised on the home farm until about five months of age.

The new facility is divided into four insulated rooms, each containing eight pens with approximately 10 calves per pen. Calves move into group pens shortly after receiving colostrum and remain together until around three months of age.

The barn uses a rail feeding system that allows calves to be housed in groups while still receiving individual bottles. Each pen has headlocks and bottle holders mounted along a rail.

“We knew we liked group housing and the benefits calves get from socializing and transitioning after weaning,” Peetz says. “But we also liked feeding calves individually.”

The rail feeding system allows employees to quickly observe calf behavior during feeding and identify calves that may not be drinking well.

“We can feed calves quick and efficiently, and you can see right away if a calf drank the bottle or not,” Peetz says.

Many treatments and vaccinations can also be administered while calves remain locked in headlocks immediately after feeding, reducing the need to chase calves around the pen.

Bedding and Ventilation Keep Calves Comfortable

Bedding management was another important design consideration. Each pen measures roughly 12' by 24' and can be divided in half during cleaning. When bedding is removed, calves are temporarily moved to one side while a skid loader cleans out the other half of the pen.

“We’re cleaning that bedding every week and trying to get down to the concrete and start fresh,” Peetz says.

Ventilation in the new barn uses chimney fans similar to systems commonly found in hog and poultry facilities. Each room contains four chimney fans that create negative pressure, pulling stale air upward while fresh air enters through attic inlets.

“The idea is to move the air across the ceiling so it mixes before it gets down to calf level,” Peetz explains.

Managing airflow during seasonal weather swings can still be challenging, particularly during spring and fall when temperatures change quickly.

“The tricky part is when it warms up but the concrete is still cold underneath the calves,” he says. “How do you move that air without creating a draft?”

Peetz generally prefers higher airflow rates combined with deep bedding and calf jackets when needed.

“I’m a big believer in deep straw bedding and running eight, 10, 12 air exchanges an hour to keep fresh air down by the calves.”

Like McFarlandale, Rosy Lane relies heavily on bedding to maintain calf comfort. Straw is used extensively for young calves, although older calves may transition to corn stalk bedding depending on availability. Calves also have continuous access to water through small waterers, and water tanks are cleaned daily.

“We’re cleaning water tanks every day because baby calves need clean water,” Peetz says.

Calf Housing That Works for People and Animals

Both farms emphasize facilities must also support the people caring for the animals. Indoor barns provide protection from weather and help create a more consistent working environment for employees.

“For the employees it’s a really nice environment,” Bender says. “You’re out of the elements, and there’s a lot of natural sunlight.”

Peetz also emphasizes the importance of routines that are easy to repeat every day.

“How do you make it easy and repeatable so people do the same thing every day?” he asks.

Both dairies also stress how calf housing is only one part of a successful calf program. Much of calf health is determined before calves ever reach the barn.

At McFarlandale Dairy, Bender continues to focus on improving maternity management and colostrum protocols.

“The only time we really lose calves is within the first two days of life,” she says. “That always takes me back to maternity.”

Newborn calf_Taylor Leach

(Taylor Leach)

The farm monitors colostrum success using blood total protein testing and consistently achieves high transfer rates.

“Blood total proteins average about 96% excellent,” Bender says.

Now the farm is evaluating colostrum volume and BRIX levels more closely to determine whether adjustments are needed.

“We think we got too good at our jobs feeding really high-quality colostrum and large amounts,” she says.

Rosy Lane tracks several performance indicators in its calf program, including average daily gain, the percentage of calves that double birth weight by weaning and overall completion rate from birth to fresh heifer.

“Our ultimate goal is to get 90% of calves born alive to make it to the fresh pen as a 2 year old,” Peetz says.

Growth rates have improved in the new facility. In the previous barn, achieving 1.8 lb. of average daily gain was considered strong performance. In the new barn, calves are more often averaging around 2.2 lb. per day.

Still, Peetz emphasizes strong transitions after weaning are just as important as early growth.

“You can feed calves a lot and get good birth-to-wean gain,” he says. “The real test is transitioning them to solid feed without getting them sick.”

Built for Long-Term Success

Both farms view their new calf facilities as tools to support consistent care rather than a finished solution. Thoughtful housing paired with careful management allows them to monitor, adjust and improve calf health as the animals grow.

“You can do great the first eight weeks, but if things fall apart after that, there are still opportunities for improvement,” Bender says.

For McFarlandale Dairy and Rosy Lane Holsteins, the focus remains on continuous improvement. By creating environments that promote calf comfort, health and socialization, they are setting up animals for stronger growth, smoother weaning transitions and long-term productivity.

Better Colostrum Decisions Start with the Right Tools

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:37:38 GMT

Not all colostrum is created equal, and understanding its quality can influence how well calves get started. That’s why having the right tools to measure colostrum quality can help producers make better feeding decisions for newborn calves.

Immunoglobulin (IgG) levels in colostrum can vary widely, from less than 20 mg/mL to more than 100 mg/mL depending on factors like the cow’s breed, health history, season and how much colostrum she produces. In general, colostrum with at least 50 mg/mL of IgG is considered high quality and provides the antibodies calves need for a strong start.

Because of that variation, appearance alone is not a reliable way to judge colostrum quality. Many producers use on-farm tools to measure IgG levels and sort high-quality colostrum from the rest. Two common options are the colostrometer and the Brix refractometer, each with its own pros and cons, according to Jud Heinrichs, Professor Emeritus of Dairy Nutrition at Penn State University, and Coleen M. Jones, former research associate in dairy.

colostrumfeeding.jpg

Colostrometer

The colostrometer is a hydrometer that floats in a sample of colostrum and measures its specific gravity. The tool is placed in a cylinder of colostrum and allowed to float freely. A color-coded scale estimates the IgG concentration: green indicates more than 50 mg/mL and high-quality colostrum, yellow falls between 20 and 50 mg/mL, and red shows less than 20 mg/mL.

Because of the color scale, the colostrometer is best used to sort colostrum into general quality categories rather than to measure an exact IgG value. This makes it easier to identify which colostrum is ideal for the first feeding and which should be saved for later feedings or mixed with transition milk.

The Pros:

Simple and inexpensive, usually under $100.
Lets you quickly separate high-quality colostrum from lower-quality batches.
Can test several samples from the same milking.

The Cons:

Temperature matters. Room temperature (around 72°F) gives the most accurate reading. Colder colostrum will look better than it is, and warmer colostrum will look worse.
Other components in colostrum, like fat and protein, can affect readings. It’s better for sorting than for precise IgG numbers.
The colostrometer is made of glass, so it can break if it’s dropped or handled roughly.

Brix Refractometer

A Brix refractometer is normally used to measure sugar, but it can also give a good estimate of IgG in colostrum. To use it, just place a few drops of colostrum on the prism, lower the cover and the digital display gives a quick, easy-to-read Brix value.

A reading of 22% or higher usually means the colostrum contains 50 mg/mL of IgG or more, making it adequate for newborn calves. Research shows the Brix refractometer tends to match lab-tested IgG levels better than a colostrometer, and it’s less fragile., which makes it easier to handle day after day without worrying about breaking it.

The Pros:

More accurate than a colostrometer.
Sturdy, especially digital models.
Works well across a range of colostrum temperatures and even frozen or thawed samples.
Can also estimate total solids in milk or IgG in calf serum.

The Cons:

Optical models can be tricky with high-fat colostrum because the line can blur. Digital models read it more clearly.
Slightly higher cost for digital models, but farm-friendly options are available for under $100.
Needs regular cleaning and occasional calibration to keep it accurate.

Both tools give farmers a practical way to know which colostrum will help calves get a strong start. The colostrometer is simple and inexpensive, perfect for separating the best colostrum from the rest. The Brix refractometer is more accurate and easier to read with thick, fatty colostrum. Either tool can help make sure calves get enough IgG to grow healthy and stay well.

Serum Total Protein as a Benchmark for Calf Program Performance

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:34:30 GMT

Serum total protein (STP) testing has a relatively straightforward purpose in calf medicine: determining whether newborn calves successfully absorbed antibodies from colostrum.

But according to Bethany Dado-Senn, calf and heifer technical specialist with Vita Plus Corp, the metric is increasingly being used in a broader way. Rather than evaluating passive transfer in individual calves alone, many dairies now track STP results across groups of calves to assess how well their maternity and colostrum programs are working.

Few management decisions influence calf health more than what happens in the first hours after birth. Because STP reflects those early management decisions, it can provide rapid feedback about how well a calf program is functioning.

Why Serum Total Protein Matters

Serum total protein provides a practical proxy for immunoglobulin absorption after colostrum feeding. If calves receive adequate high-quality colostrum shortly after birth, STP values typically fall into higher ranges. If colostrum management is inconsistent or delayed, STP levels tend to drop.

The test is inexpensive and easy to perform using a refractometer, which has made it one of the most widely used field tools for evaluating passive transfer.

Research shows STP and passive transfer status is closely linked to calf health. In a large cohort study of over 4,000 calves, passive transfer status was associated with differences in disease incidence, mortality risk and early growth performance.

Calves with higher STP concentrations experienced fewer health events during the preweaning period compared with calves in lower passive transfer categories. These findings suggest STP reflects more than antibody transfer alone. It may also capture the combined effects of colostrum quality, feeding timing and early calf care.

These relationships have led veterinarians to view STP as an early indicator of overall calf program success.

Understanding STP Benchmarks

Modern passive transfer benchmarks are largely based on research evaluating thousands of dairy calves. The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association classification system divides calves into four categories based on serum total protein levels.

Passive Transfer Category	Serum Total Protein
Poor	<5.1 g/dL
Fair	5.1–5.7 g/dL
Good	5.8–6.1 g/dL
Excellent	≥6.2 g/dL

Strong colostrum programs typically achieve:

At least 40% of calves in the “excellent” category
Fewer than 10% in the “poor” category

“Calves in that poor category have a four times increase in mortality risk and about a one and a half times increased risk of bovine respiratory disease and scours,” Dado-Senn says.

Tracking these proportions over time helps farms monitor the consistency of colostrum management.

Serum protein concentrations gradually decline as calves age. For that reason, sample calves between 2 and 4 days of age whenever possible. Maintaining a consistent sampling protocol is especially important when STP is used as a herd-level benchmark.

From Diagnostic Test to Management Benchmark

Rather than focusing only on individual calves, many dairy operations now track herd-level STP results over time. Some farms monitor average STP values by month or quarter, while others track the percentage of calves falling into different passive transfer categories.

In some cases, the metric is even used as a management tool to encourage employee performance.

“There are a number of dairies that I work with that utilize things like serum total proteins or average daily gains of their calves as kind of a performance benchmark for their staff. There might be a list on the door saying, ‘Hey, here’s our serum total protein goal. Here’s where everybody is relative to that,’” Dado-Senn says.

Using STP this way creates a direct feedback loop between colostrum management and measurable outcomes. When calf-care teams can see how their practices translate into herd metrics, it becomes easier to identify where protocols are working and where adjustments may be needed.

Tracking STP Trends Over Time

Evaluating STP results as trends rather than isolated measurements can be helpful for evaluating broader systems. Monitoring herd averages and passive transfer categories over time can reveal subtle changes in colostrum management before clinical problems appear.

In herds with strong maternity protocols, STP trends can remain consistently high. Dado-Senn describes one dairy client who tracks STP trends on a quarterly basis.

“Looking at serum total protein trends over quarters, they do an absolutely fantastic job. Their averages are well-above the excellent range and they typically don’t have much more than 1% or 2% in the poor category,” Dado-Senn says.

Tracking results this way gives farms a broader evaluation of calf program performance, allowing them to make system-wide improvements.

Detect Management Problems Early

Because STP reflects events that occur immediately after birth, shifts in herd averages can reveal management issues before disease outbreaks occur.

Declining STP values may signal:

delayed colostrum feeding
lower colostrum quality
changes in maternity staffing
inconsistent colostrum handling protocols

Spot testing calves periodically can identify these problems quickly.

A Simple Test with Growing Influence

Calf programs involve many moving parts, from maternity management to housing and nutrition. Yet the earliest decisions in a calf’s life often have the greatest impact. Serum total protein testing provides a simple way to measure the success of those decisions.

What began as a diagnostic test for passive transfer is increasingly becoming something more: a practical performance indicator for the entire calf system.

The Colostrum Chronicles: New Things We’ve Learned

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:04:00 GMT

There is virtually nothing more important to a newborn calf’s long-term health and performance than the timely delivery of high-quality, hygienic colostrum.

In recognition of that fact, researchers continue to study colostrum in search of ways to enhance it and perfect its delivery to calves. One such researcher is Dr. Trent Westhoff, who earned his PhD at Cornell University while investigating the nuances of colostrum.

Westhoff joined Elanco Animal Health in 2025 as a Dairy Technical Consultant. He recently presented a webinar – “Colostrum Management: Factors Influencing Yield, Quality, and Calf Health” -- on behalf of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association . In it, he shared four recent, research-based findings that may lead to colostrum-management changes in the future:

Dry-period length influences yield and quality – Westhoff acknowledged the seasonal frustration that most dairy producers experience in the fall and winter – a dip in colostrum yield that may result in a colostrum shortage or lowering of quality standards to meet volume needs.

He and other researchers have investigated multiple factors in an effort to boost yields. The one detail that has been recognized so far in making a significant difference is dry-period length. In a study of more than 18,000 cows from 18 commercial U.S. dairies, Westhoff and his colleagues stratified cows into dry-period length of less than 47 days, 47-67 days, and greater than 67 days. They found that colostrum yield increased incrementally with each group. From a commercial production standpoint, he said the data showed managing for a 60-day dry period would yield about 5 pounds more colostrum per cow compared to aiming for a 40-day dry period.

The cows with the longest dry period also had significantly higher Brix %, an indirect assessment of colostrum IgG concentration, than the other two groups, indicating higher quality.
Oxytocin may help boost yield in first-calf heifers – In another study, Dr. Sabine Mann’s team at Cornell University explored whether administering oxytocin 45 seconds before unit attachment during colostrum harvest might help them let down more colostrum. They evaluated 636 cows in one New York herd that were milked in a rotary parlor. They looked at the quantity and quality outcomes of dosing cows intramuscularly with 0, 20, and 40 international units (IU) of oxytocin.

It made a difference in one group – the first-calf heifers that received the highest dose (40 IU) of oxytocin before their first milking. That group produced about 2.9 and 3.5 pounds more colostrum than the 20 IU group and the untreated controls, respectively, without affecting quality. The same response was not observed in second-lactation and older cows.
More is not necessarily better – Westhoff detailed a study (Frederick et al. 2025) of 88 calves that looked at the volume of colostrum delivered relative to subsequent serum IgG concentration and apparent efficiency of absorption (AEA) of immunoglobulin proteins. They examined first-feeding volumes of 6, 8, 10, and 12% of birth bodyweight. For reference, 9% of bodyweight of a 90-pound calf would equate to ~3.7 liters (~1 gallon) of colostrum, which is a standard first feeding for many dairies.

They found that serum IgG concentration increased substantially between 6% and 8% and increased numerically between 8% and 10%, but bumping that volume from 10% to 12% produced no benefit in serum IgG concentration. Meanwhile, AEA went down incrementally with each higher volume of colostrum. Based on these results, Westhoff advised feeding colostrum in the 8-10% of bodyweight range. He noted there is marginal benefit to “mega-dosing” up to 12%, and it could actually cause physical discomfort to calves to feed them that much. “If you want to get more colostrum into them, come back with a second meal,” he advised.
Heat treatment can create bacterial vulnerability – Heat-treating of colostrum can effectively reduce pathogenic bacteria levels. That can be a valuable step, because high bacteria levels have been proven to interfere with antibody absorption. But it comes with a hazard.

Westhoff said heat-treating colostrum to 140°F for 60 minutes has been shown to reduce bacteria count by a median of 93%. But a Cornell study in which he was involved (McKane et al. 2025) that looked at colostrum after heat-treating told another compelling story. They inoculated heat-treated colostrum, colostrum replacer, raw colostrum, and frozen colostrum with fecal E. coli. At 4 hours through 24 hours later, the colostrum replacer and heat-treated colostrum had significantly higher regrowth of bacteria compared to the raw and frozen samples.

The reason: “Colostrum has natural antimicrobial properties,” Westhoff explained. “When we heat-treat colostrum, we remove its ability to naturally manage that bacteria. This underscores the importance of cooling colostrum very quickly after you remove it from the heat-treatment system.”

Looking forward, Westhoff believes researchers will continue to parse the many factors in the complex system that makes up colostrum synthesis and management, with the hope of arriving at practical improvements that can be made on-farm.

As one example, he said in addition to IgG, colostrum contains valuable minerals, vitamins, hormones, immune cells, and antimicrobial peptides. “In the future, it may become possible to quantify colostrum quality with these or other factors, in addition to IgG,” he predicted.

Calving Management Can Make or Break Profitability

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:41:01 GMT

The calving pen is where some of the most costly and preventable problems on a dairy begin. And while a hard birth might not look like much at first, Howard Taylor from Iowa State University warns that dystocia, especially in heifers, can seriously eat into profits.

“For every cow or heifer that experiences dystocia, there’s approximately a $1,500 loss associated with that,” Taylor says.

Those losses often become normalized on farms. It’s easy to shrug off a tough calving or a stillborn calf because “it happens,” but that mindset can lead to bigger bills and missed opportunities to improve herd health.

“Farms tend to have a baseline level of problems in their herd, and farmers see those problems as normal. But these issues are often preventable,” Taylor notes.

He believes the calving environment is one area where intentional management changes can make a big difference. Things like how calm the pen is, how often animals are moved or how many cows are grouped together can all shape how smoothly a birth goes. All of these small tweaks add up, and Taylor says they matter more than most people realize.

“Some changes only improve profit a little, but when combined, they can really boost your bottom line,” he says.

Heifers Are Not Just Small Cows

One important aspect Taylor urges producers to keep in mind is that heifers don’t calve the same way mature cows do.

“Heifers go into labor earlier, or they’re in stage two labor longer than cows,” he explains. “Part of that is because it is a new experience and they are in a different surrounding.”

Heifers tend to be more restless during labor and have higher cortisol levels. That extra stress can make the final stage of labor harder and, if it gets too high, it can be harmful to both the cow and calf.

“For heifers in particular, those higher cortisol levels reflect in more restlessness, longer labors,” Taylor adds. “If they get interrupted, it takes them longer to go back into active labor.”

According to Taylor, one mistake he sees too often is moving heifers once they’ve already started labor. This isn’t as big of an issue for cows, but it can halt progress in a hurry for heifers.

A cow will usually get back on track within an hour, but heifers just don’t rebound the same way. Even shifting them to a different pen can stall things out for several hours — up to 16 in some cases.

Rethinking Calving Facilities and Social Stress

There’s no perfect calving setup, but Taylor says every system comes with trade-offs farms need to think through. Individual pens are great for biosecurity and give cows the chance to separate themselves, but they can also be tough on heifers.

“The challenge with individual pens is they socially isolate the animal,” Taylor says. “So, for heifers, individual pens can be really stressful unless you have companion animals in adjoining pens.”

Group pens, on the other hand, let cows interact more naturally, but they require a lot more space than most barns can realistically spare.

“The minimum space [for calving] is 50 square feet per animal,” Taylor says. “The ideal space is over 100 square feet, which is really challenging to try and meet in a facility.”

One way some farms give a group pen more of an individual‑pen feel is by adding visual barriers. These help cows feel more secure, but they can also restrict airflow and make it tougher for workers to monitor each animal.

“Animals like to have the visual barriers there, but it also provides some challenges from a management standpoint,” Taylor says. “Finding the right balance between cow comfort, biosecurity, labor and practicality is a constant juggling act.”

Social dynamics add another layer to consider. Heifers raised together don’t always transition well when they’re suddenly mixed into a group of older cows.

“Heifers grow up together, so dropping one into a group of older cows can really throw her off,” Taylor says. “They’re usually pretty submissive, so they get pushed around and often go off feed for a bit. However, moving them with a former pen mate or companion may help reduce stress, keep them calmer during calving and help them stay on feed better.”

The timing of the move matters too. Cows tend to be more aggressive in the morning, so introducing heifers later in the day can help them settle in more smoothly.

Taylor says while these adjustments may seem minute, they can add up, making calving run more smoothly and giving both the heifer and her calf a stronger start.

Training People for the Maternity Ward

Taylor says people play a major role in how calving goes, yet many farms train employees heavily in the parlor and far less in the calving pen. He often sees workers unsure about when to step in or when to wait.

“With calving, we have people who are unprepared all the time, being exposed to trying to decide, ‘Should I assist? Should I not assist?’ Training is incredibly important and can help with these decisions,” he says. “Training is the best management practice and should be constantly evolving.”

Understanding when to step in is only part of the training, Taylor notes. Another key piece is knowing what actually happens during delivery.

“The uterus only uses about 80 lb. of force to push the calf out, but a single person can easily pull with a few hundred pounds,” Taylor says. “Most calf jacks can reach over 1,000 lb. of force, and it only takes around 300 to 400 lb. to break a calf’s femur.”

Taylor stresses stepping back and letting the animal calve on her own is often the better approach, especially with heifers.

“The less assistance, the better,” Taylor says. “We tend to want to assist more with heifers because they take longer and they’re more restless. But that’s the opposite of what we should be doing.”

Technology can support this approach by reducing unnecessary disruptions.

“For heifers, having people come in and check the position of the calf is really stressful,” Taylor notes. “But if you have cameras in there, it allows us to monitor without intervening and without creating stress, so we only go in when it’s absolutely necessary.”

He encourages producers to treat the calving pen more like a human maternity ward, keeping the space calm, quiet and low‑stress for both cow and calf.

Long-Term and Multigenerational Impacts

As Taylor points out, calving management choices reach far beyond the moment a calf hits the ground. He says the effects ripple well into the future.

“These are really long‑term impacts,” Taylor says. “That stressful delivery that could have been prevented doesn’t just impact that cow and that calf. It impacts that cow through the entire lactation. It also impacts that calf throughout their life, and it impacts their offspring as well.”

Because these effects carry forward for multiple generations, the true economic cost of calving problems is often much higher than it appears on paper. Lost milk, slower growth, less‑robust replacements and added health challenges all add up quietly over time.

Taylor says reducing stress for heifers in the calving pen isn’t just a welfare benefit. It is one of the most effective ways to boost performance across the whole herd. In his view, the choices made in the calving pen today shape the herd producers will be working with for years to come. And that’s why he sees the calving pen as a place where a little extra attention can really pay off.

Does Every Calf Need a Gallon of Colostrum? Not Necessarily

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 22:04:43 GMT

For years, feeding a gallon of colostrum shortly after birth has been considered the gold standard for calf care. It’s simple, easy to remember and straightforward to train employees to follow. But today’s calves don’t all look the same. With more variation in size, some researchers are asking whether the same volume makes sense for every newborn.

During a recent “Dairy Health Blackbelt” podcast, Dr. Sabine Mann, associate professor at Cornell University, revisited the research behind that long-standing recommendation.

“One of the questions I have gotten frequently is, why are we feeding all calves a gallon of colostrum?” she says. “It’s a pretty widespread management strategy in the U.S. And if you try to dig into the literature of why that came about, there’s actually not that much evidence that that is the best approach for every calf.”

She notes that for an average 85- to 90-pound calf, four liters is probably appropriate. But not every calf falls into that range. When birthweights vary, feeding the same volume across the board may not always match what each individual calf truly needs.

Putting the Gallon Rule to the Test

To take a closer look at the gallon recommendation, Dr. Mann and her team conducted a study on a commercial dairy in collaboration with researchers at the University of Guelph.

They began by pooling colostrum to keep quality consistent across calves. From each pool, four calves were assigned different feeding levels based on a percentage of their body weight.

“We made a big pool of colostrum, and then we assigned four calves to that pool, and one calf got 6% and one calf got 8% and one calf got 10% and one calf got 12% so that was our range, six to 12,” Mann explains.

Rather than giving every calf the same fixed volume, the team adjusted how much colostrum each calf received relative to its size.

The intent was not to create a complicated system requiring producers to weigh every calf and calculate exact doses.

“This is not meant for people to weigh each and every single one of the calves and then figure out the milliliters,” Mann says. “But it’s for us to understand, is there an effect on the calf’s ability to take up IgG into circulation. And if there is, how would we translate this into actionable recommendations on farm.”

Ultimately, the study focused on whether feeding different amounts based on body weight would influence how well calves absorb the antibodies they need early in life.

More Isn’t Always Better

The study looked at how different colostrum volumes (as a percent of body weight) affected IgG in the blood, absorption efficiency, stomach emptying and calf comfort. As expected, bigger feeds gave calves more total IgG

“We found that the more volume they got within a certain quality of colostrum, the more IgG they had in their blood, which makes sense, right? The more you give, the more you get,” Mann says.

But the benefit slowed at the highest volume, 12% of the calf’s body weight.

“There was a declining return on investment, so to say, with increasing volumes,” Mann says. “There was a steep increase from 6% to 8% to 10% of body weight, but only a very small improvement in blood IgG concentration at 12% of body weight.”

This happened because calves absorbed a smaller proportion of the IgG when fed very large amounts.

“The proportion of the IgG in colostrum that actually appears in the blood was declining, meaning that the more volume you put into them, the less proportion the calf can actually take up into that in that window of time.”

When calves get a large meal, their stomach empties more slowly, so less colostrum reaches the intestine while the gut is still “open” to IgG absorption.

“We wanted to see if different volumes affect how the stomach empties colostrum into the intestine, and timing matters because the gut is only open for IgG absorption for a limited period.”

She compared it humans overeating during a holiday meal.

“We do this around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we sit there and our belly hurts, right? Our systems know to slow down the gastric output in those situations, and that’s the same that happens in calves.”

Calf Comfort and Behavior

Dr. Mann’s team also looked at calf behavior, since small calves fed four liters often appear bloated or uncomfortable.

“We were interested in this notion from the field, and we did observe that the more volume we fed, the more we saw behavior associated with colic, like kicking the abdomen,” she says.

While lying time wasn’t significantly affected, higher volumes tended to reduce relaxed resting.

“We didn’t find a statistical effect in lying time, but those calves fed higher volumes tended to lie less in a relaxed position, similar to us at Thanksgiving,” she joked.

The “Goldilocks” Approach

When it comes to determining how much colostrum a calf truly needs, Mann describes the “Goldilocks” approach as the best option.

“I think we’re getting back to a Goldilocks approach where you want to have enough, but you don’t have to give too much,” she says. “Just the right amount is most beneficial to the calf.”

Based on this research, around 10% of a calf’s body weight is a solid target for an initial feeding. That amount provides enough immunoglobulins to support immunity without overwhelming the stomach, and it can be adjusted for smaller or larger calves.

Mann adds that while colostrum is packed with nutrients, extra benefits might be better delivered through multiple feedings rather than one very large meal.

“The nutritive value of colostrum should not be underestimated, but we also have to keep in mind the comfort of the calf,” she says. “Maybe it’s better given in separate feedings. A lot of farms have gone to feeding second feedings or even third feedings of colostrum.”

Practical Takeaways

While colostrum is essential for newborn calf health, Mann emphasizes that the goal isn’t to hit a fixed volume, but to give calves the right start while keeping them comfortable. She provides the following tips to use on the farm:

1. Know your herd’s average birth weight. “A good first step is to know the average birth weight of calves in your herd, since that can vary,” Mann says. “Once you know that, you can adjust the colostrum volume to match your average calf.”

2. Use a couple of standard volumes rather than one fixed size, “Many herds now use two standard volumes, like three liters and four liters. That way, even without a scale, you can look at a calf and decide: this one won’t be over 85 pounds, so it gets the smaller amount,” she says.

3. Consider second or third colostrum feedings. “Instead of giving all the colostrum at once, it can help to split it into two or three feedings if your farm can manage it,” Mann says. “Many people see benefits from this, though we could always use a bit more research to confirm.”

Four Ways to Boost Calf Welfare Today

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:20:57 GMT

Dr. Emily Miller-Cushon has built her career around studying the behavior and welfare of calves.

The Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida recently shared insights from her research on “Meeting Dairy Calf Behavior Needs to Improve Lifelong Welfare,” a webinar sponsored by the Dairy Cattle Welfare Council .

Miller-Cushon’s intriguing work has focused on myriad aspects of calf behavior. She and her colleagues have studied social housing, oral behaviors, grooming activities and more. They also have examined the relationship between calves’ welfare and their health and performance.

Their findings have shown that there definitely are on-farm enhancements that can improve calves’ quality of life and sometimes their health and performance as well. Miller-Cushon emphasized that not all of those changes need to be costly or complicated. She noted 4 small measures that can yield big rewards in terms of calf welfare:

Give them a buddy – Miller-Cushon said there is now a large body of research that consistently shows the benefits of pair housing. “Essentially, there is not a downside to it,” she shared, noting that raising calves in pairs influences both their behavior and performance in both the short and long term. When’s the best time to introduce a pen mate? The researcher said starting at birth. She also noted that most calf hutches with outdoor runs provide ample resting space to house preweaned calves in pairs, so there is essentially no additional cost incurred.
Bump the feeding rate – To discourage cross-sucking in pair housing, Miller-Cushon advised working calves up to a peak milk or milk replacer allowance of at least 8 liters (quarts) per day. The satiety created by higher feeding rates should make calves less likely to demonstrate undesirable oral behaviors like cross-sucking and chewing and sucking their environment, like gates and fence panels.
Brush up on grooming – A study by Miller-Cushon’s team showed that calves with access to brushes for voluntary grooming had reduced duration of pen-directed oral behaviors and increased lying time, indicating that the brushes had a calming effect. While calves love the high-end mechanical, rotary grooming brushes, the Florida researchers also have observed positive outcomes from mounting stationary scrub brushes in calf-housing areas. Calves used them readily, and the investment was just a few dollars.
Serve hay as an appetizer – While the majority of calves’ nutrition should come from the liquid ration and starter grain, Miller-Cushon said calves are naturally motivated to eat hay. The oral manipulation of the feed, coupled with the exploration of it that keeps calves entertained, has been shown to reduce pen-directed sucking, especially at weaning time. “This hay can be relatively poor quality, because we are relying on it for the behavioral benefits it confers, not its nutritional aspects,” she shared. “Even straw can serve this purpose.”

Miller-Cushon and her team now are focusing their research efforts on the lifelong improvements that can be made for calves when they are raised in an environment that is supportive of their welfare. “In all species, social isolation has long-term effects on anxiety and resilience,” she shared. “They are now examining whether meeting behavioral needs in calfhood translates into better foraging skills, social abilities, competition for resources, coping skills under stress, and ability to learn as cows.”

A Closer Look at Delayed Cow-Calf Separation

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:50:52 GMT

Delayed cow-calf separation is a topic that usually gets people talking — whether they are focusing on animal welfare, public perception or personal experience. However, we rarely see the conversation anchored in controlled data. New, yet-to-be-published research from Dr. Adam Beard and his team at Cornell University is changing that, providing a clearer picture of how short-term contact and transition milk feeding affect a calf’s early life.

The study focused on the perinatal period: the final two months of pregnancy through the first two months after birth. This is a time of developmental plasticity, meaning management decisions can have a long-term impact on growth and future performance.

“We were interested in the physiologic impacts of transition milk feeding, as well as the societal components of cow-calf contact — if it’s something that’s feasible, could be implemented and what challenges might there be,” Beard explains.

While we know how much prenatal care matters, the big question remains: Does staying with the mother after birth continue to have a meaningful biological effect?

To find out, researchers set up a controlled study where delayed separation was defined as unrestricted contact for the first five days of life. Calves in this group stayed with their dams, had full social contact and nursed freely.

They were compared to two other groups that were separated immediately: one fed the dam’s transition milk and another fed bulk tank whole milk. To ensure the results weren’t skewed by a poor start, every calf in the study met strict criteria for high-quality colostrum intake and birth vigor.

Does Delayed Separation Affect Passive Transfer of Immunity?

A common worry is that delayed separation might interfere with a calf’s immune system. In this study, it didn’t. All calves received high-quality colostrum (>22% Brix) shortly after birth, and their antibody levels (serum IgG) were the same regardless of whether they stayed with the cow or were moved. This reinforces that the timing and quality of colostrum are the real drivers of immunity, not the housing method.

Impact of Nursing on Calf Growth and Health Risks

For those first five days, nursing calves did appear heavier. However, the researchers found this difference disappeared quickly after separation. The early weight gain was likely just gut fill — a result of nursing frequency — rather than actual tissue growth. By day seven, after all calves had transitioned to a standard feeding schedule, the weights converged and no lasting differences remained.

Health risks are often seen as a major barrier to keeping cows and calves together. However, this data showed no link between delayed separation and a higher frequency of fever or diarrhea.

“Some people might suspect that this would make calves more vulnerable to health challenges,” Beard says. “We just don’t see that here.”

While scours occurred across all groups, the patterns were consistent with what is typically seen in newborns, regardless of the feeding system.

The team followed replacement heifers through nine weeks of age. Across the board, there were no differences in:

Average daily gain
Final body weight
Hip and withers height
Solid feed intake before weaning

How Suckling Affects Cow Milk Yield and Udder Health

While the calves were nursing, there was a predictable drop in salable milk yield. However, production rebounded within 24 hours of separation, and there were no lasting penalties in early lactation.

Interestingly, preliminary findings suggested cows being suckled had higher cure rates for intramammary infections, though that analysis is ongoing. Notably, the study reported no calf injuries or human safety incidents during the contact period.

Is Short-Term Cow-Calf Contact Practical?

“We don’t have any results that are remarkably different between the transition milk, whole milk or transition milk with cow-calf contact, but the outcomes also weren’t any worse for having the calf in the environment with the cow,” Beard says.

This research doesn’t suggest that delayed cow-calf separation is a performance-enhancing tool. When calves already receive great colostrum and consistent management, the growth and health outcomes are largely neutral.

The real takeaway is short-term contact can be implemented without negative effects under controlled conditions. Proving this practice isn’t inherently risky will allow the industry to move past anecdotal fears and look deeper into the biology of transition milk and long-term development.

Can Young Calves Manage Distillers Grain?

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:00:00 GMT

Soybean meal is currently the nearly universal protein source for calf starter grain formulations in the U.S.

But if you could tame some of the wilier aspects of distillers grain, it too can pack a powerful protein punch. Dr. Billy Brown, Assistant Professor at Kansas State University specializing in dairy cattle nutrition, discussed that possibility on a recent episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt podcast.

“One of the fascinating aspects of the ethanol industry today is that they’re getting really aggressive about trying to add value to the co-products they’re producing,” Brown noted. “It’s not just a bi-product. They’re doing a great job of trying to add value to those products that could realistically do great things for us in the dairy industry.”

Brown and his colleague recently conducted a preweaned calf study evaluating a specialty distillers grain product called “ Protomax^TM , manufactured by ICM, Inc.

The researcher noted there has been very little published literature summarizing research utilizing distillers grain as a protein source in calf starters. He said the few studies that have been performed showed relatively poor performance for calves fed distillers grains, in terms of calf growth and average daily gain (ADG).

“The high fiber content of the corn bran in distillers grains is probably a little bit more difficult for those calves to digest in that early life period,” Brown stated.

But thanks to a fractionation process that removes the corn brand, Protomax is more easily digested by preweaned calves. And, unlike earlier renditions of distillers grain, this product is dried without the solubles and fiber fractions.

The result is a highly digestible, low-fiber feedstuff that rivals soybean meal in protein content at about 50% crude protein. Brown said the manufacturers are also enhancing the product by fermenting yeast bodies, condensing the products of fermentation, and adding them back into the finished high-protein distillers grain.

Brown and his colleagues recently conducted a study comparing a starter grain formulation containing the new product to traditional calf starter using soybean meal as the protein source.

“We kind of expected some negative results as a part of including this high-protein corn product in the diet,” shared Brown. “We actually saw the opposite. Calves on the high-protein corn product grew more, had greater average daily gain, and tended to have more dry-matter intake, but there was no evidence of difference in feed efficiency.”

Even more encouraging were the results of actual digestibility. “To our surprise, the calves on the high-protein corn product actually had greater apparent total tract digestibility and crude protein digestibility,” he shared.

Brown noted that, compared to previous studies of distillers grains in preweaned calf diets, the Kansas State researchers were mindful of amino acid balancing. They used the CNCPS model to meet estimated lysine and methionine requirements using rumen-protected supplements for those potentially limiting amino acids.

And the financial bottom line? Encouraging as well. The cost of the distillers grain-based ration was about $5.00/ton less than the traditional soybean meal-based ration. Even including the cost of the amino acid supplements, the net cost was about 6 cents/calf/day lower for the distillers ration.

While acknowledging this study is an initial foray into a whole new possibility for preweaned calf rations, Brown is encouraged by the results.

“We know that calves that gain more weight in the preweaning period have greater lifetime milk production,” he noted. “A lot of that comes from the milk feeding program, but if we can also help accomplish that with the grain feeding program – even carrying into the post-weaning period for a month or so – that’s a really positive benefit for that calf long-term down the road.”

Your Next Read: There are Many “Wheys” to Feed Dairy Cows

Where There’s Smoke, There May Be Poor Ventilation

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:04:00 GMT

If you want to evaluate air movement and ventilation in your calf barn, there’s an easy way to do it – fill it with smoke.

That smoke should not come from a fire, mind you, but from handy tools that allow you to visually evaluate where the air moves in your calf barn, and how quickly it is exchanged with fresh air from the outside.

Courtney Hallbach, MBA, researcher with the University of Wisconsin’s Dairyland Initiative, shared at the most recent AABP Recent Graduate Conference that good ventilation is critical for removing warm, humid, contaminated air from calf barns. In the summer, this helps with heat abatement; in the winter, it protects respiratory health.

She said “smoking” or “fogging” barns is a low-cost, highly visual way to observe how air is distributed in a calf barn and identify any dead spots. In barns with positive-pressure ventilation tubes, smoke can be forced through the tube from the outside, while an observer inside watches how air exits the discharge holes, and how long it takes for the smoke to leave the building entirely. Any leaks or loose connections in the ventilation tubes can also be identified.

There are several options for tools used to perform smoke testing:

Non-toxic smoke sticks or bombs commonly used by HVAC professionals
Bug foggers loaded with water or mineral oil;
Electronic fog machines commonly used in theaters and fire training

This video shows a team of professionals from Cornell University Extension using smoke sticks to evaluate a New York calf barn without a positive-pressure ventilation tube.

Dr. Ryan Leiterman, veterinarian and agricultural engineer with Crystal Creek Natural , Spooner, Wis., regularly uses the method to diagnose ventilation issues in existing barns, and fine-tune the systems when he is helping clients install ventilation systems in new barn construction.

In an advisory bulletin he offered as guidance to producers building new facilities, he noted, “after fogging over 75 barns, I consistently notice fresh air from the positive pressure duct being directed to the calf level, only to be warmed and rise back up to the top of the barn.”

He said it is a myth that calves don’t produce enough body heat to influence thermal buoyancy. In truth, they absolutely do. That warm air they create needs an escape route, which he advised should be a ceiling ridge vent. “Ridge vents can and should be covered, but the covering needs to be elevated to provide space for warm air to escape,” he stated.

The clearly visible air flow patterns observed from smoking barns can also identify dead zones of stagnant air, where smoke lingers instead of clearing. Fast-moving smoke at the calf level might be fine in the summer, but indicate a cold draft on calves in the winter.

Sometimes, short-circuiting of airflow is also observed, when smoke is pulled directly from inlets to exhaust without circulating through the room. In that case, the mechanical ventilation system may be running, but not actually refreshing the air around the calves.

Leiterman records the time it takes for the smoke to completely dissipate in the building, which is an indication of air exchange speed. He explains the simple calculation in this video of fogging a calf barn addition under construction in Wisconsin. If it takes 15 minutes for the smoke to clear, that’s 4 exchanges per hour. Clearance in 6 minutes means 10 exchanges per hour. He advises at least 4 air exchanges per hour in all seasons, with possibly greater frequency in warm weather.

Remedying identified issues may be as simple as adjusting curtained sidewalls on calf barns; increasing or decreasing fan speeds; or changing the volume of air through positive-pressure ventilation tubes. In other cases, it may take more involved efforts, like cutting in roof ridge ventilation or a central chimney to allow warm air to escape, or installing a positive-pressure ventilation system.

Work with your veterinarian, design engineer, or building professional to put the power of smoke to work for your calves and the environment you want to create for them.

Neonatal Calf Distress: Managing the First 24 Hours

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:11:17 GMT

The first 24 hours of life represent the most vulnerable period a calf will ever experience, where oxygen deprivation, metabolic acidosis, trauma and pain can quickly overwhelm an already compromised neonate. Managing neonatal distress involves early detection, rapid assessment and decisive intervention.

Many distressed calves arrive compromised. Prolonged calving, excessive traction or repeated premature intervention increase the likelihood of hypoxia, trauma and delayed physiologic recovery. A live calf is not necessarily a stable calf. Distress is often subtle in the first minutes and can be missed if assessment relies solely on heart rate or movement.

Dr. Ryan Breuer of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine outlined the following early indicators of neonatal distress:

Delayed head lifting or failure to achieve sternal recumbency
Irregular, shallow or gasping respiration
Blue or pale mucous membranes
Meconium staining
Swollen head or tongue

“If calves are not trying to get up or won’t stay in sternal recumbency after 15 minutes, these calves have a very poor prognosis,” Breuer says. These calves need immediate veterinary care and are often experiencing combined hypoxia and metabolic acidosis.

“Acid is toxic to the brain and can cause scarring and neurologic death to the brain tissue,” adds Breuer, listing blindness as a neurologic sign to look out for. “These animals can’t see, or they’ll start stargazing, tipping their nose to the sky.”

Respiratory Distress: The Primary Emergency

Respiratory compromise is the most immediate life-threatening component of neonatal distress. Newborn lungs have never expanded, and even mild impairment can prevent adequate oxygen exchange.

“Open mouth and flaring nostrils are signs of respiratory distress,” explains Breuer, adding that blue tinged or cyanotic mucous membranes are also indicators that the calf is not getting enough oxygen. “If the heart rate is less than 50 beats per minute and falling, intervention is going to be needed to save them.”

Calves in respiratory distress should be placed in sternal recumbency to maximize lung expansion. Physical stimulation including vigorous rubbing, nasal septum stimulation or pressure on the nasal philtrum can trigger inspiratory reflexes and help initiate more effective breathing.

Other Distress Indicators in Calves

Meconium staining is a visible indicator that the calf experienced distress before delivery. Passage of the meconium into the uterus typically reflects prolonged time in the birth canal or delayed delivery.

“Now that the amniotic sac has ruptured, there’s mixing of the waste and what the calf is submerged in,” Breuer says. “This can cause issues down the road because it can cause difficulties in cleaning that airway.”

Calves born with meconium staining are more likely to experience respiratory compromise, difficulty clearing airways and delayed stabilization after birth.

Trauma from dystocia can contribute to pain, reduced movement, impaired breathing mechanics and delayed recovery. Swelling of the head, tongue and soft tissues can further compromise airways and oxygen delivery.

Ongoing Monitoring Through the First 24 Hours

Calves that survive an initial distress event remain at elevated risk through the first 24 hours of life. Ongoing monitoring for declining vigor, abnormal respiration or changes in responsiveness is essential as early compromise often evolves rather than resolves.

Many calves that survive neonatal distress reappear later as poor performers, respiratory cases or unexplained losses. Effective neonatal distress management is not about saving every calf but about recognizing when intervention can still alter the outcome and preventing avoidable compromise. The first 24 hours determine which calves stabilize and recover and which never fully catch up.

To learn more about the first 24 hours of neonatal calf care among other topics, check out the Dairy Cattle Welfare Council webinar series .

Life on the Highway: A Road Map for Better Beef-on-Dairy Calf Transport

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:56:19 GMT

Many dairy producers are producing more beef-on-dairy calves, but these animals typically remain on the farm for only a short time before being moved to their next destination. This early movement often happens before calves are fully prepared for the challenges of transport, which can impact their health and performance down the line.

Transporting young calves is becoming a bigger concern, says Catie Cramer, associate professor in animal sciences at Colorado State University. She says there is still a lot to learn and that what works for one dairy might not work for another. That early preparation matters to calf buyers, who can tell when calves arrive stressed or behind, putting them at a disadvantage right from the start.

“Young calf transport is a bit of a hot topic right now,” Cramer says. “There’s still a lot we don’t know, and we need more research. Every operation is different, so decisions really need to be based on what the data shows for each farm.”

In the past, beef-on-dairy calves often didn’t receive the same level of attention as replacement heifers. While that mindset is starting to shift, Cramer notes its effects can still be seen in the data today.

On a national level, about 80% of these calves are transported off-site at less than a week of age, and many are moved even sooner.

“In a study we did, we actually found that the majority of those calves were leaving the dairy at less than 24 hours of age,” she says.

Rather than moving directly to one destination, calves often pass through multiple marketing steps before they arrive.

“Sometimes they can go through an auction or calf jockey, and they may be marketed up to four times before they reach their final destination,” Cramer says. “Each added stop increases stress, disease exposure and management challenges.”

Protecting Calves During a Vulnerable Window

Calves are often transported at a time when they’re most sensitive to stress. During their first weeks, their immune system depends almost entirely on antibodies from colostrum.

“That calf really doesn’t have high levels of fully functional active immunity until towards the end of preweaning,” Cramer says.

Because of how the immune system develops, there is a window of susceptibility, typically around 2 to 3 weeks of age, when colostrum-derived antibodies are declining and the calf’s own immune response is just ramping up. Colostrum quality and management directly shape the length and severity of that window.

“If we have excellent transfer of passive immunity, that window of susceptibility is going to be slightly shorter and that colostrum is actually going to offer protection for longer,” Cramer says. “But if we don’t do a good job at providing excellent colostrum, that window is actually longer, and it can be earlier.”

The first 24 hours of life and how colostrum is handled set the stage for how well calves can survive and thrive during transport and beyond. That’s why it’s so important for dairy producers to feed beef-on-dairy calves high-quality colostrum within the first two to four hours after birth.

The Stress Factors in Calf Transport

Transportation in livestock has long been recognized as stressful, and calves are no exception. The journey can expose them to a variety of challenges all at once, including changes in environment, handling by unfamiliar people, loading and unloading and the motion of travel itself.

Cramer points out that each of these factors can add up, and she lists a series of potential stressors that calves can face during transport:

Extreme heat or cold
Rough or improper handling
Lack of bedding
Pathogen exposure
No access to milk or water on the trailer

“For the calf, this stress can result in dehydration, discomfort, disease, energy depletion, fear, hunger, injury, thermal stress and thirst,” she says. “All of those are not only welfare concerns, but they can affect the productivity of that animal as well.”

Challenges Start Before the Trip

Those challenges can be even greater when calves leave the farm already off to a rough start. Data from surveys and field studies show that many calves are shipped dehydrated, scouring or with inflamed navels and depressed attitudes.

In a Colorado study assessing calves at loading, most less than 24 hours old, almost half had at least one health abnormality. Survey data showed that a substantial proportion of producers would still ship calves with diarrhea, dehydration, navel inflammation or insufficient colostrum intake.

According to Cramer, these choices have predictable, serious consequences.

“If calves had naval inflammation at the source dairy, they were 2.8 times as likely to get diarrhea at the calf raiser,” she says. “If they were dull or depressed at the dairy, they were 2.5 times more likely to die at the calf raiser.”

Similar patterns show up at auctions and final destinations. One Canadian study found 20% of calves arriving at auctions had at least one serious condition such as navel disease, discharge, depression or inability to stand. A U.S. study of bob veal calves reported that 96% had at least one abnormal condition, and 82% had at least two, including low blood sugar, dehydration, thin body condition, failed transfer of passive immunity and depression. In Colorado, more than 56% of calves were dehydrated getting off the trailer.

A Road Map for Change

Cramer offers practical steps to help calves do better before, during and after transport. She shares six strategies, pointing out that the first four are “things we can and we should do now.”

Preconditioning at the source dairy:
- Excellent colostrum management (Ex: 3 qt. at ≥25% Brix within two hours, followed by 2 liters at ≥22% Brix 12 hours later.)
- Rigorous navel disinfection and clean environments to prevent umbilical infections.
- Providing milk and water as close to loading as possible.
Assessing fitness for transport:
Calves should only be shipped when they are well hydrated, vigorous, able to stand and have received high-quality colostrum and navel care.
Handling with care and providing adequate bedding and lying space:
Calves under a week of age spend over 70% of their time on the trailer lying down, so every calf must have space and deep, dry bedding. Timing shipments to avoid thermal extremes and adjusting bedding and ventilation accordingly can further reduce stress.
Post-transport care:
When calves arrive, they should be checked carefully and given the care they need instead of automatically getting antibiotics. Cramer says research shows feeding milk replacer with electrolytes for the first two days after transport keeps them better hydrated and gives more energy than electrolytes alone.

The final two strategies are more challenging but potentially transformative:

Retaining calves on the source dairy longer:
Studies show calves transported at ≥7 days of age have better average daily gain and lower respiratory disease than those shipped at 2 to 6 days. In a U.S. study, each extra day at the dairy reduced the odds of dehydration before transport fivefold.
Reducing transport duration and number of events:
Longer trips can lead to dehydration, weight loss and diarrhea that can last up to two weeks. Cramer says distance doesn’t always match travel time, as pickup routes can keep calves on trailers for many hours longer than the direct trip.

Next Steps

Cramer emphasizes improving outcomes for beef-on-dairy calves starts with better communication across the supply chain, clear training for those handling calves and a shared commitment to reducing stress at every stage.

“Transportation in early life can create a bottleneck for calf health and performance,” she says, “but careful management can reduce stress and help calves thrive if we do things right.”

Waste Milk Feeding Alters Calf Immune Development

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:05:31 GMT

For many dairies, feeding waste milk — milk that can’t be sold because of antibiotic residues, high somatic cell counts or other quality issues — is an appealing way to save on calf-rearing costs. It’s calorie-rich, familiar to calves and readily available. However, waste milk is one of the least standardized inputs in calf nutrition as it varies in microbial load, drug residues and inflammatory components. While the short-term economics are easy to calculate, the potential biological impact is less clear.

Most evaluations of waste milk stop at visible outcomes like growth rates or scours. What’s harder to see is how early antigen exposure shapes immune development below the surface. New research from the University of São Paulo shows the immune system of a growing Holstein calf responds differently depending on whether it’s fed salable milk (SM), pasteurized waste milk (PWM) or raw waste milk (WM).

In the study, 30 calves were raised on one of these three liquid diets for the first nine weeks of life and regularly sampled for immune markers and cellular responses. Although overall health scores (temperature, diarrhea prevalence, respiratory signs) didn’t differ among groups, the internal immune story was much more revealing.

Immune Cell Counts and Cytokines Shift With Waste Milk Feeding

Calves fed PWM and WM showed consistent differences in systemic immune markers:

Serum total protein and Brix values were higher in WM calves.
Total protein and Brix are composite biomarkers influenced by both innate inflammatory response and adaptive humoral immunity. This observed increase likely represents innate immune responses associated with increased microbial and antigen exposure.

Plasma IgG concentrations did not differ by diet.
Levels followed the expected passive transfer pattern in all groups, with a decline at 21 days as maternal antibodies waned.

PWM and WM calves exhibited increased circulating immune cell numbers.
Lymphocyte and total mononuclear cell counts were higher compared to SM calves, but these did not translate into greater immune function. Immune cell proliferation in response to bacterial challenge was not impacted by liquid diet.

Cytokine profiles differed by diet.
SM and PWM calves produced more IL-10, a regulatory cytokine, while WM calves showed higher IL-17, consistent with a more pro-inflammatory profile.

What These Findings Mean for Calf Health Decisions

Together, these findings suggest waste milk feeding alters immune development in subtle but meaningful ways, even when calves appear outwardly healthy.

Several implications stand out:

Waste milk is not immunologically neutral.
It exposes calves to greater antigenic stimulation, increasing immune cell numbers and inflammatory signaling without improving functional responsiveness.

Higher TP and Brix values should be interpreted cautiously.
In WM calves, these markers likely reflect inflammatory proteins rather than improved humoral immunity.

Pasteurization reduces, but does not eliminate, immune effects.
PWM calves consistently showed intermediate immune profiles between SM and WM, supporting pasteurization as a risk-mitigation step rather than a complete solution.

Early immune skewing might matter most under stress.
An immune system biased toward activation rather than regulation could respond differently during weaning, transport, pathogen exposure or vaccination.

Diet quality is part of immune programming.
Liquid diet decisions influence not just growth and scours but how the calf immune system is shaped during a critical developmental window.

While this study did not directly assess long-term health or vaccine outcomes, it reinforces an important message for calf programs: What calves drink early in life can influence how their immune systems are wired.

Single Mom's Dairy Success: Juggling 4 Kids and 1,500 Cows

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:30:00 GMT

Growing up, nobody ever told Mitzie Blanchard she couldn’t do something simply because she was a girl. And although Mitzie’s father discouraged her from moving back to the family farm thirty years ago, that had nothing to do with the fact she is a woman. His deterrence was fueled by the fact that the dairy industry is a tough business to be in, and his farm’s facilities were aging fast. Speared by her spitfire and hardworking personality, Mitzie was determined she would prove her father wrong and own and operate her own dairy.

Early Beginnings

Starting with 45 cows on her Charlotte, Iowa farm, Mitzie grew her herd one step at a time. Today, along with her four sons, Mitzie milk 1,300 Holstein-Jersey crossbreds and farms an equal number of acres, raising mostly corn, alfalfa and triticale, of which all goes back to feed the herd.

Mitzie is no stranger to hard work. She was raised on her family’s farm, and in 1986 her father, Ron Ketelson, decided to sell his herd in the whole herd government buyout program. With his entire herd going to slaughter, Ron figured that would be the end of any cows being milked on his eastern Iowa dairy farm.

Mitzie had other plans. Five years to the day after her father’s cows left, she moved back to the family farm with a small herd of cows and her sons.

Today, three of her four sons, along with a nephew who Mitzie essentially raised as a son, work full-time on the family farm, Blanchard Family Dairy, LLC.

Like most farm kids, Mitzie’s boys were expected to help with the work. And that they did. Mitzie credits much of her success to her boys constantly being by her side. The ‘boys’ are now grown men – BJ, Seth, Brian and Brent – who saved their own money earned from working at the dairy to buy their own cows.

Her oldest son, BJ, says he knew from an early age he would follow in his mother’s footsteps. Like his mother, BJ is a natural-born leader and has taken on the roles of monitoring feed, managing manure and overseeing the crops.

“I just like working outside,” he shares.

Her other sons who work on the farm help in different capacities. Seth works as a general laborer, Brian oversees the shop and maintains equipment, and Brent is being groomed to take over his mother’s role as a herdsman.

Expansion Over the Years

Nearly 20 years ago the Blanchard’s put up a 500-cow barn, their first major expansion. At the time, they formed an LLC when Mitzie’s sons were between the ages of 13 and 21 years old. Under the advice of the farm’s accountant, the sons became official co-owners of the farm.

In 2012 and 2014, additional 500-cow barns were added, along with expanding the milking parlor in 2014. In 2017, growth came to a halt, as their milk cooperative instituted a production cap.

Growth has always been Mitzie’s mantra, but she also has put a keen focus on high components and solid reproduction to help dial in on efficiencies and profitability.

Reminiscing, Mitzie knows her father is proud that the family dairy legacy continues, and she recalls that he often would stop by the dairy to take it all in. Her father was proud, not only of his daughter for being determined to make it work, but of her boys for following in their mother’s shadow.

Joy and pride are also found in Mitzie’s heartbeat, as she has been able to watch her boys grow with responsibility. Each has taken on pivotal roles that have shaped the dairy for success. She recalls back to 2009, and while most producers remember it as one of their worst years, she remembers it differently. She says it was one of her best, as her boys had been educated on some tough lessons.

“They learned early on how to refinance loans and cut costs,” she says. “It was wonderful to watch my boys come into their own as young leaders.”

Mitzie says she has no regrets, even though the journey over the last three decades hasn’t been an easy one. Together, as a family, they have figured it out, using each expansion as a learning curve and a steppingstone for success.

This past summer Mitzie turned 60, and the boys and their families celebrated their heroic mother by taking her off the farm to go on a trip to Colorado. The once nonstop worker admits she is starting to slow down and confesses that she doesn’t worry about the future of the farm she fought hard for.

“I’m reassured by my son’s ability to run every angle of the dairy,” she says. “Undoubtedly it will take hard work. If I have taught them anything, it is how to work hard.”

A Good Coat for a Better Start

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:46:40 GMT

When temperatures drop, a good calf jacket can make a big difference for young calves. Cold weather forces calves to burn extra energy just to stay warm, and a jacket helps them hang on to that energy so they can keep growing strong.

“A cold calf will need to use energy to try to maintain its body temperature; energy that would normally be devoted to growth and maintaining a healthy immune system,” says Cassie Yost, dairy Extension educator at Pennsylvania State University.

But not all jackets are created equal. Even the best one will fall short if it is not managed well. Here is what to look for in a solid calf jacket and how to get the most out of it once winter sets in.

Choose a Jacket Built for Warmth and Durability

A good calf jacket should balance warmth, fit and durability. Calf specialists recommend choosing a jacket with an outer waterproof or water-resistant shell to protect against wind and moisture. Inside, insulated liners should help trap heat without being too bulky, allowing calves to stay warm without restricting movement.

“A clean, dry hair coat provides greater insulation from cold than a wet, matted coat, and calf jackets can be used to further insulate young calves,” Yost adds.

Fit matters too. Jackets should sit close to the body without gaps, allow full range of motion and adjust easily as calves grow. Coats with multiple strap points help maintain a snug fit without rubbing.

But once a jacket is on, it needs regular checks to make sure it still fits and keeps the calf comfortable.

“Leg straps can quickly become too tight and dig into the back legs of calves, easily causing open sores,” Yost says. “Remember that putting a jacket on a newborn calf is not a once-and-done action. It requires monitoring as the calf grows and as the weather conditions change.”

Keep Them Clean and Dry

Cleanliness is just as important as insulation. Jackets that trap moisture or bacteria can do more harm than good.

“Remember to wash jackets in between uses to remove any built-up mud or manure to ensure a clean, dry jacket is available for the next newborn calf,” Yost says.

Jackets must also be fully dry before reuse. Wet coats lose insulation and can chill calves even faster than leaving them bare. Farms should keep enough extras washed and ready so calves never go back into a damp coat.

Start Jacket Use at the Right Time

Knowing when to begin using jackets matters. Severe cold puts young calves under 3 weeks of age at the greatest risk.

“Calf jackets are most useful for calves under 3 weeks of age and especially for any calves that are sick and struggling with illnesses,” Yost says.

Many farms rely on benchmarks such as the 90-degree rule, where the daytime high plus nighttime low equals 90°F or less, to decide when jackets should go on. Others watch for several nights below 40°F. Once jackets are in use, they typically stay on through the winter and into early spring.

Warm spells require extra attention.

“If the calf is sweating during the day, that damp calf will get chilled once the temperatures begin to fall at night,” Yost explains. “Sweating followed by chilling will negate the purpose of the jacket.”

Knowing when to take jackets off is just as important as knowing when to put them on.

“As calves grow, calf jackets can be removed once that calf is growing well and consuming grain. Removing jackets at a reasonable time while the calf is still on milk will help them adapt to their environments now that the added protection of the jacket is removed,” she adds.

Other Details Matter

Even the best jacket can’t make up for poor bedding. Calves need a deep, clean and dry bed to nest into. Jackets are a helpful layer, but they work best when the calf’s environment is warm, dry and well-bedded.

Fresh straw, shavings or other bedding materials should be replenished regularly so calves can nest, curl up and stay insulated from cold floors. Bedding also helps wick away moisture, which reduces the risk of chilling and illness. When the ground is frozen or damp, adding extra bedding becomes even more critical.

Jackets Help Calves Use Energy Wisely

Cold calves burn extra energy just to stay warm, which takes away from growth, immunity and overall health. A well-chosen jacket helps them hold onto that energy so it goes toward what really matters.

When paired with good management and proper bedding, a clean, dry, well-fitting jacket can help young calves handle the cold months with less stress.

Be Careful Before You Make the Switch from Replacer to Whole Milk

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 22:22:47 GMT

With tighter margins in the dairy industry, it’s no surprise farmers are looking for ways to cut costs, but making changes purely to save money can come with real risks.

One area producers are exploring cost-saving measures is calf feeding. Many farms have considered making the switch from milk replacer to whole milk, especially when they have non-salable milk available. But a change like this requires much more than just deciding to use the milk already in the tank. A successful switch depends on understanding volumes, dry matter, pasteurization needs and calf health monitoring. And without a solid plan, the savings that look good on paper can disappear quickly.

Whole Milk Can Make Financial Sense

According to Cassie Yost, dairy Extension educator at Pennsylvania State University, using on-farm milk can be a real advantage when the conditions are right.

“[You can] alleviate financial burdens of feeding milk replacer if you have available non-salable milk,” she notes. “Using the milk produced on the farm and saving the milk replacer bill is a financial win-win situation.

However, she stresses that feeding whole milk will not fit every operation. Facility layout, workflow, access to a pasteurizer, disease risk and calf management all play major roles.

“Each individual farm has different management styles that fit its unique operation,” she says.

No one should expect to make the change overnight or assume it will save money without first looking at the details. Farms must first evaluate whether feeding whole milk aligns with both their calves’ health needs and their farm’s management style.

Making Sure Your Calves Get the Right Nutrition

Nutrition, of course, is one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle. Whole milk is only about 13% dry matter, which means calves need enough volume each day to meet their needs. Milk replacer is fed at higher dry-matter levels to match the nutrient density of whole milk, so it is important to compare programs side by side before making any changes.

Farmers should also understand whole milk components vary naturally but not enough to cause major issues in a well-managed system. Yost points out the fat and protein in whole milk do not swing any more than the components in your bulk tank. A typical Holstein herd might test around 3.7% fat and 3.3% protein, which works out to roughly 28% fat and 25% protein on a dry-matter basis.

It is also essential to work with your veterinarian or a calf nutrition specialist when planning the switch. Having an expert guide the transition reduces risk and helps ensure the switch is truly beneficial for the calves.

Keeping Calves Safe With Good Sanitation

Health and safety are just as important as nutrition. Whole milk has to be handled with care, and farms without a strong sanitation plan should think carefully before switching. Yost stresses that skipping pasteurization is risky, especially for farms unsure of their herd health status.

“Pasteurizers can help to decrease the chance of disease transfer; however, they will not completely eliminate all disease pathogens,” she explains.

Regular testing of bacterial counts is also key because high levels can lead to scours and hurt calf performance. Timing matters as well. Milk that sits too long before being pasteurized can become unsafe. Thus, farms need reliable routines in place, or the risks can outweigh the savings.

Deciding What Works Best for Your Farm

For some operations, whole milk feeding can work extremely well. For others, milk replacer is still the more consistent, convenient and sanitary option. The most important thing is that the decision is made with intention.

“Whatever change you may decide to implement, make sure it is an economical decision that has the future of your farm in mind,” Yost says.

Switching to whole milk is not a quick fix. It takes careful planning and consistent routines to make sure calves get the nutrition they need. Farms that are ready to put in the extra effort can see benefits in both calf health and feed costs. For others, sticking with milk replacer might be the better option.

A Bottle of Hot Water, Please

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:02:46 GMT

Water is the most essential nutrient for all animals, and makes up about 70% of a preweaned calf’s body weight.

In addition to the water they consume in their milk or milk replacer rations, calves need supplemental water to accelerate their digestive development and support excellent growth. Drinking more water has also been research-proven to encourage more starter grain intake.

The late Sam Leadley , longtime calf and heifer management specialist from Attica, N.Y., explained that this “free” water fuels the fermentation process of starter grain in the developing rumen. Rumen bacteria need water to survive, so lack of water slows fermentation.

The growth of the rumen lining and development of nutrient-absorbing rumen papillae depends on the products of fermentation. In short, water is critical to building robust rumens, which are vital to lifetime animal performance.

So, what’s the best way to feed water? Key elements include:

Warm is the best form – Leadley noted regardless of the temperature at which it is fed, water will be at the same temperature as the calf’s body within an hour after it is consumed. But especially in cold weather, that internal warming process robs calves of precious energy and can suppress growth rates.

A South Dakota State University study also showed feeding calves cold water shocks the rumen environment, which can disrupt fermentation. Delivering water to calves at body temperature, 100°F to 105°F, is easiest on the calf’s system and also might be more palatable to calves.

Bottle it up – A study at the Provimi North America Inc. Nurture Research Center compared the consumption of water by calves from a bucket versus a nipple bottle over the first eight weeks of life. One group was offered a 3-qt. bottle of hot water daily at midday. The other group was offered free-choice water from a pail at ambient temperature.

The bottle-fed calves consumed an average of 1.4 qt. of water per day, compared to 0.2 qt. for the pail-fed group. At the end of 56 days, the calves receiving water from a bottle also consumed 10 lb. per head more starter grain.

Timing matters – The Provimi researchers advise waiting to offer water at least 15 to 20 minutes after regular feedings to ensure the esophageal groove has closed and water enters the rumen instead of the stomach.

Calves that receive water are able to convert dry feed more efficiently. Two quarts of water should promote about 1 lb. of grain intake. Leadley noted as calves grow, about two-thirds of every pound they gain is water.

The Building Plan for Road-Ready Calves

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:08:32 GMT

You might say Sophy Henisz is a calf architect; she builds the framework for newborn calves to launch them into successful careers as herd replacements.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, who majored in dairy science and Spanish, says her first job was as a maternity consultant for a genetics company. In that role, she learned much about getting calves off to a great start and communicating with those who care for them.

“But the part I didn’t get to see was the result of that effort, beyond the first few days,” she says.

As Source Farm Consultant for Kansas Dairy Development (KDD), a custom heifer-raising enterprise near Deerfield, Kan., she is now privy to the long-term rewards of excellent early life management.

KDD is an ever-growing facility with a current capacity of about 100,000 calves and heifers from about 60 source dairies. Newborn calves travel from as far away as New York and Florida, with many others originating from Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Utah, Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee and Missouri.

The facility’s location in southwest Kansas is a calf utopia of sorts. Its arid climate typically supplies moderate temperatures year-around, low precipitation and plenty of natural ventilation. Coupled with ready access to feedstuffs, bedding and labor, it’s a near-ideal location for calf development.

But the calves have to get there. Some of them travel more than 1,000 miles at just a few days old, and it’s Henisz’s job to make sure they are packed and ready for the trip.

“Our goal is to ultimately raise high-quality heifers that are going to be productive herd replacements,” she says. “At the base level, that starts with colostrum.”

Henisz works with source dairies on the finer details of achieving the “4 Q’s” of optimal colostrum feeding:

Quick — Delivering the first dose within one hour, with a second feeding eight to 10 hours later.
Quantity — Feeding 6 liters in the first 12 hours of life.
Quality — A minimum Brix reading of 22%.
S-Queaky clean — Total bacteria count limits of 1,500 CFU/mL or less and total coliform count of less than 10 CFU/mL.

She also helps source dairies evaluate their maternity housing to ensure calves are born into clean, dry and well-ventilated environments, and she works with KDD staff veterinarian Jared Schenkels to fine-tune their dry-cow vaccination protocols. On her regular visits to source dairies, she provides ATP swabbing services to evaluate the hygiene of colostrum collection and feeding equipment, with a goal of 30 relative light units (RLU) or lower on every swab.

When it comes to shipping, KDD also has protocols for travel readiness. Calves are required to be ambulatory and drinking from a bottle. If they are older than 1 day of age, they receive milk replacer — typically at least 4 quarts — that matches the formulation and total solids content they will receive when they arrive at the KDD facility.

That arrival is a remarkable sight, with a skillful crew standing at the ready when a truck pulls in.

“I’ve timed our crew unloading semis hauling upwards of 200 calves,” Henisz says. “Every calf is unloaded, settled into a well-bedded hutch, and receives a warm bottle of milk replacer within 28 35 minutes.”

In terms of navigating the trip, Henisz actually finds calves fare better when they are shipped on days two to three after birth, compared to those that are held a week or longer at the dairy.

“I think that’s due to a combination of factors,” she says. “For one thing, their immunological barrier from colostrum is stronger. That’s scientifically proven. The rest, I would say, is more behavior-oriented. In their first day or two of life, everything is new. So, one more day of ‘new’ really doesn’t set them back, compared to, let’s say, a week later, when they have established a routine on the dairy.”

Henisz and her colleagues also have noted that many of their healthiest calves are the ones transported the furthest. Recent research performed by Gustavo Schuenemann and his colleagues at Ohio State University confirms that observation.

The retrospective study evaluated nearly 400,000 calves from 15 dairies shipped to two custom-rearing facilities, with an average shipping age of 3.2 days. Overall death loss by weaning for all animals in the study was just 2.49%, and calves transported the longest (24 hours) actually had the second-lowest mortality of 1.55%. The highest mortality rate (3.56%) was in the calves shipped the shortest duration of just 30 minutes.

The calves hauled the farthest went on to achieve comparable average daily gain (ADG) to all calves in the study, and actually had higher ADG than calves that traveled the shortest distance.

“This study ... shows that other health-related factors, such as calf disease, colostrum management, calf type, birth season or year play a much larger role in calf mortality at weaning than transport duration when following well-established, fit-or-transport practices,” Schuenemann concludes.

It is those very practices that lay the foundation for success at KDD, which routinely achieves an overall mortality-at-weaning goal of 3.5% or less.

“When we start with healthy animals, we can keep them that way,” says Henisz.

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Rethink the First Feeding: Calf Health Begins with Smarter Colostrum Strategies

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:16:06 GMT

For decades, dairy producers have fed newborn calves based on standard protocols for first-milking colostrum, but as Dr. Donald Sockett and Dr. Ryan Breuer from the University of Wisconsin noted on a recent Raising Your Best Dairy Heifer webinar, the underlying assumptions might be due for revision.

“The current colostrum feeding guidelines that are considered best practices today were developed a little more than two decades ago,” Breuer says. “So we’ve had some time to observe what’s going on with it and whether we need to make some changes or not.”

Sockett explains that the conventional gold standard of 50 grams of immunoglobulin G (IgG) per liter, which the guidelines are based on, was reasonable back then, but times have changed.

“The average here is 75 g to 95 g per liter,” he says. “Why would we build a program around fair [quality] colostrum?”

Because calves are receiving colostrum of higher quality than what the older guidelines are built around, feeding volumes and methods might need adjustment.

In a recent case report , Sockett and Breuer described a Holstein heifer that received what is considered best practice for colostrum delivery based on 10% body weight: 4 liters of first-milking colostrum 30 minutes after birth and an additional 2 liters six hours after the first feeding. Shortly after the second feeding, the calf developed colic and was in apparent pain. This animal was humanely euthanized less than 24 hours later after a lack of response to on-farm medical care.

According to the attending veterinarian, this was not a one-off case.

“This wasn’t the only calf at this dairy,” Breuer says. “The veterinarian had also seen similar situations at other dairies where these calves, after the recommended colostrum feeding, had distress or colic.”

Upon necropsy, they noticed incidents of aspiration in the lungs. It was concluded aspiration pneumonia killed the calf after some colostrum was regurgitated due to a distended abomasum from colostrum volume.

This report emphasizes the need to reevaluate colostrum feeding standards.

In September, Frederick and colleagues from Cornell University published a study looking into the effects of feeding colostrum at 6%, 8%, 10% or 12% of a calf’s body weight on IgG absorption, gastric emptying and postfeeding behavior.

Gastric emptying is an important factor as no colostrum absorption occurs in the abomasum. Passage to the small intestine in a timely manner before absorption efficiency goes down is key. Calves fed at 10% and 15% of their body weight had significantly lower apparent efficiency of absorption of IgG rates and showed significantly more behavioral signs of discomfort (abdomen kicks) than those fed 6% and 8%.

“So yes, you’re feeding a bigger mass of immunoglobulin when you feed these larger body weight [percentages], but if your efficiency of absorption is going down and you have these health complications, is that really the best thing for the calf?” Sockett says.

A study of 818 calves across 61 Holstein dairy farms by Morin and colleagues at the University of Montreal looked into how colostrum management practices impacted transfer of passive immunity (TPI). They found that the No. 1 factor affecting apparent IgG absorption was the concentration of IgG in the colostrum, or colostrum quality. Calves fed colostrum with a Brix value over 24.5% were almost three times more likely to have received adequate TPI. Additionally, calves fed equal to or greater than 2.5 liters of colostrum at their first meal (notably less than 10% of the calves body weight) within three hours of birth had the highest odds of receiving adequate TPI.

This adds weight to Sockett’s assertion.

“Think about our recommendation standards,” he says. “We haven’t even been talking about the two most important variables of effective efficiency of colostrum absorption. We have to start thinking about the quality of the colostrum and the mass of colostrum being delivered.”

If you’re creating a colostrum feeding program for a dairy operation, Sockett and Breuer recommend collecting a database of information of what’s going on in the herd. Answer the following questions to tailor the program to your farm:

What is the average birth weight of the calves? What are the lightest and heaviest animals?
Are you feeding pooled or individual colostrum?
What is the normal weight of the colostrum?
What is the mean and standard deviation of the Brix scores?
What is the timing of first colostrum delivery?
What are your TPI goals?

The idea is not to abandon colostrum best practices but to update them strategically. By refining colostrum feeding protocols, verifying colostrum quality, aligning volume with body weight and monitoring outcomes, dairy operations can create their own evidence-based practice. The result? Healthier calves, fewer complications and better use of that liquid gold.

Salmonella Dublin Remains a Stubborn Dairy Health Challenge

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:28:30 GMT

No one wants their calves to be infected with Salmonella, but the serotype Dublin is an especially ominous threat, and it’s not going away.

According to Angel Abuela, veterinarian and instructor of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Salmonella Dublin has become substantially more prevalent in dairy and calf-rearing facilities in the U.S. and Canada since 2012.

At the 2025 Recent Graduate Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Abuela briefed young veterinarians on the characteristics and challenges presented by S. Dublin.

While Salmonella is most often associated with scours in calves, he notes S. Dublin usually causes pneumonia, respiratory distress and fevers instead. Calves appear listless, anorexic, dehydrated and can also suffer from septicemia and arthritis. Bloody scours are possible but not very common.

Acute infections of S. Dublin typically strike calves at 2 to 12 weeks of age, and sudden death within one to two days after onset of illness can occur due to endotoxic shock. Data from S. Dublin outbreaks shows up to about one-third of infected calves became clinically sick, and about a quarter of calves with confirmed S. Dublin diagnosis died.

For those that survive, lingering effects can include poor growth rate, ill thrift, lameness due to arthritis, and loose stools. It is less common in adult animals, but when infected, those older cattle can experience a sudden drop in milk production, slight fever, mild diarrhea and abortion. Persistent infection with intermittent fecal shedding during times of stress is also possible in adult cows.

In addition to its critical impacts on cattle health, two distinct characteristics of S. Dublin make it a high-level concern: its multi-drug resistance properties and its potential effects on human health.

“In the U.S., S. Dublin has become one of cattle’s most important multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria,” Abuela notes. “The MDR has complicated the treatment of clinically sick animals and has become a threat to human medicine.”

S. Dublin is resistant to many common antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections in animals and humans. Currently, there are no approved antibiotics for veterinary use to treat S. Dublin. Abuela notes the only therapeutic tools are supportive care, including fluid therapy to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, along with anti-inflammatory therapy.

As a zoonotic disease, it is possible for S. Dublin infections to spread from ill animals to humans, causing severe digestive illness and bacterial infections of the bloodstream. While uncommon, S. Dublin infections in humans are most likely to occur in the individuals caring for sick animals, including farm personnel and veterinarians who might accidentally ingest infected animal feces or fluids.

Abuela recommends the following on-farm offense strategies to help minimize the transmission of S. Dublin infections in cattle:

Providing clean, dry calving pens and avoiding large group-calving areas.
Removing calves from contact with their dams’ feces as soon as possible after birth.
Placing calves in a clean environment, where they have no contact with other calves or adult cattle.
Maintaining strict control of colostrum management.
Feeding pasteurized, rather than raw, milk to calves.
Identifying and isolating newly sick cattle immediately and ensuring that farm personnel handle sick cattle separately.
Sanitizing and disinfecting all equipment used between animals.
Ensuring personnel wash hands, boots and any common equipment used between groups of animals.

A herd veterinarian should investigate suspected cases of S. Dublin for a full diagnostic work-up, treatment and prevention plan.

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New Tool Helps Guide Calf Nutrition Decisions

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Even with everything we’ve learned about calf nutrition, building the best possible plan for an individual farm is still an arduous task that is dependent on many factors.

Recognizing the need for a streamlined process in determining what and how much to feed calves, researchers at the University of Vermont have developed the “CalfSim” tool.

In a summary of the tool in the Journal of Dairy Science , lead developer Dr. Joao Costa described CalfSim as “a free, user-friendly decision support tool designed to simulate and optimize feeding plans for dairy calves.”

Using input data that calf raisers can easily collect, CalfSim allows users to explore the “what ifs” of various program changes, and how those nutritional strategies can be predicted to affect both rearing costs and calf performance outcomes.

The tool is based on equations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 2021 Nutritional Requirements of Dairy Cattle. Adaptations were made for predicting energy-allowable growth and solid feed intake under varying conditions.

The simple format of CalfSim is divided into 3 fundamental areas: (1) animal, management, environment and liquid diet inputs; (2) starter composition; and (3) scenarios for milk allowance plans. Scenarios are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. While the base program is developed using the international metric system, the English version also offers the option of delivering results using imperial (U.S. system) data.

The developers note that CalfSim cannot thoroughly incorporate every detail of a farm’s calf program. Variances in factors like disease incidence, housing, environmental stress, and genetics can affect the ultimate outcomes of any calf nutrition program. However, the differential between CalfSim predictions and actual outcomes can be a valuable investigative tool in determining which outside factors may have contributed to a shortfall in achieving CalfSim projections.

Data from 27 published and non-published studies guided the developers in building the CalfSim tool’s framework and evaluating its outcomes. Body weight gain predictions obtained with CalfSim were found to be accurate in comparison to published literature, highlighting the tool’s reliability and precision.

Costa said CalfSim is an easily accessible, web-based decision support tool that allows for virtual testing of different scenarios, management strategies, and nutritional plans. He added that it helps minimize risk and enhance decision-making before actually implementing a feeding program change.

The CalfSim tool is available free of charge on the Costa Lab page of the University of Vermont website .

Can We Feed Dams for Better Performing Calves?

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:45:57 GMT

In the delicate dance that is dairy nutrition, it’s not all about just getting more milk.

How and what we feed pregnant cows also matters for the development of the calf she is carrying. Researchers have just begun to scratch the surface of the influence of dairy dam nutrition on the lifetime productivity of their calves, according to Billy Brown, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University.

In a presentation at the 2024 Cornell Nutrition Conference, Brown explored recent knowledge that can help dairy cows not just deliver healthy calves, but calves that perform better throughout their lifetimes, whether their career destination is the feedlot or the milking parlor.

Creating those successful calves is dependent on events through a number of biological touchpoints throughout their embryonic and fetal development, many of which are not completely understood. Brown says factors such as placental mass, blood flow and nutrient transport to the fetus can be critical.

Other effects may happen at the cellular level. Brown says “epigenetics” refers to DNA alterations that influence genomic material that ultimately activate cellular functions. By pulling the nutritional levers in dams that activate these changes, traits like growth, marbling and mammary gland productivity in their calves might be influenced for the better.

This type of research has been conducted for decades in the beef industry. A number of studies have shown cows that were supplemented with either energy or protein while pregnant produced calves with greater body weight from birth through slaughter, and heifers from supplemented dams reached puberty earlier.

Less-extensive beef research has also shown calves from supplemented dams showed statistical improvements in marbling, quality grades and ribeye area – an interesting finding considering the ever-growing proportion of calves from dairy dams that now are channeled into beef production.

But to date, dairy cattle research has not pursued this topic as extensively.

“There has been a flurry of recent and convincing research evaluating the negative impact of gestational heat stress on calf performance,” Brown says. “But comparatively fewer investigations have focused on effects of dam nutritional interventions.”

From the dam nutrition research that has been conducted in the dairy arena, one thing we have learned is simply feeding dams more is not a simple solution at all. While research has shown dairy calf birth weight increases about 4.5 lb. with each half-point increase in body condition (5-point scale), over-fat cows and first-calf heifers can experience calving difficulties and metabolic challenges in lactation.

“Data from other species indicate dams with excessive energy intake during gestation have deleterious effects for the neonate’s long-term ability to regulate feed intake and body composition,” Brown says. Those long-term effects, including over conditioning, higher metabolic disease incidence and reduced milk yield, have been shown to surface even more in the second generation from overfed dams.

Researchers have also learned high milk production does not guarantee dams will pass that genetic potential to their offspring. In fact, those calves might be hindered by their mothers’ milk production, as several studies have shown.

“Intuitively, the dams with greater milk production might have greater genetic merit for milk production, which could be passed along to their offspring,” Brown hypothesizes. “However, if epigenetic changes are occurring from reduced nutrient supply to the fetus while competing with the mammary gland, then this could limit the progeny milk supply potential.”

So, while hitting the sweet spot between too little and too much energy and protein is one challenge, Brown believes more knowledge could be drawn from the finer details of dairy rations.

Feeding rumen-protected choline to dairy dams has been shown to improve offspring performance in terms of birthweight; preweaning weight gain; feed efficiency; marbling; kidney, pelvic and heart fat; and insulin sensitivity. Rumen-protected methionine and lysine have been shown to positively affect offspring growth and weight gain, as have omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

Brown believes these, and other supplements, could help fine-tune lactating dairy rations to deliver the best possible nutrition package for both the lactating cow and her developing calf.

He says more research is needed, noting: “As this body of research grows, the future of the dairy industry may involve more deliberately setting up calves for success through the use of dam nutritional management during gestation.”

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