Dairy Calves - News & Insights
Stay updated on the latest dairy calf management strategies. Explore expert advice on colostrum management, calf nutrition, disease prevention, and the beef-on-dairy trend to ensure a healthy, productive future for your herd.
Even healthy calves can suffer dehydration in extremely hot weather.
If you sell your bull calves shortly after birth, it’s tempting to send them down the road with no colostrum. But those animals will be far better served if you take the time to get them the colostrum they need.
New research studies suggest there are health and developmental benefits to feeding calves colostrum or transition milk well beyond the first day of life.
As the thermometer climbs, farmers are eager to make sure their fans and sprinklers are running to keep lactating and dry cows cool. But just like adult cows, calves are also challenged by hot weather.
Dairy producers have an opportunity to do a better job of raising heifers by incorporating basic technology that can help improve their heifer programs and animal lifetime performance.
What is the biggest challenge you face raising your own replacements?
Prepackaged colostrum replacers are an easy way to quickly feed colostrum to a newborn calf. However, while they do come with many benefits, there are a few potential negative aspects of utilizing this nutritional tool.
Researchers are exploring whether cattle would benefit from pain management associated with calving.
When consumers think about dairy farming, one of their greatest concerns are the calves. That can be a good thing because farmers have a great story to tell. But it also may require some flexing of rearing practices.
Holstein springer values saw a healthy upward bump in the past month in California and Pennsylvania, while remaining essentially flat in Wisconsin and Idaho.
When to introduce calves to forages – along with what type and how much – remains a highly debated issue.
Just because calves survive a traumatic birth doesn’t mean they’re completely out of the woods. Some extra measures to care for dystocia calves can help put them back on par with their heartmates.
Dairy beef makes up approximately 20% of the fed cattle market.
Here’s a question for you…did you water ALL your calves this morning? In just a few weeks, we will be in the midst of the summer heat and it’s important to assure that calves have plenty of water to drink.
Calf hutches and barns are a perfect breeding ground for summer flies, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Is “bigger” always better when it comes to growing first-calf heifers? Probably not.
Using pain mitigation techniques when disbudding or dehorning is now the standard of care for U.S. cattle veterinary and quality assurance organizations.
This year, the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association will resume in-person programming for its April 6-8 Annual Conference and Trade Show.
When used correctly, ionophores can be highly effective in preventing scours caused by coccidia in pre- and post-weaned dairy calves.
When and how preweaned calves are moved from individual feedings to group pens can have a big impact on how well they do on autofeeder systems.
Stipulate details of arrangement so both parties have a clear understanding of expectations.
Just knowing that calves are being fed three quarts of milk replacer twice a day is not enough information.
Holstein springer values changed little across the country in the past month, but dairy cow numbers, milk production and dairy product stocks continue to grow.
Calves that have incurred traumatic births are often are lethargic, clumsy and have little interest in nursing. These babies may benefit from a simple procedure called the “Madigan Squeeze Technique.”
It’s frustrating, it’s costly, and it happens a lot. The post-weaning slump can set back calves that were well-grown and healthy at weaning -- with illness, stunted growth and social maladjustment
An esophageal tube feeder can be a lifeline for young calves, delivering colostrum, milk or electrolytes when they are unable to suckle a bottle. But incorrect use of these feeders can be dangerous or even deadly.
Milk prices made a health leap in December, but for the most part, dairy heifer prices did not follow suit.
A few times in your life – if you’re lucky – you cross paths with a person whose infectious persona makes you wiser, kinder and inspired to do better. Sam Leadley was one of those treasured people.
Whether or not to feed hay to preweaned dairy calves is a longstanding debate, without an absolute answer.
Does increasing the volume of the liquid diet change other feeding behaviors in young calves? Canadian researchers recently examined whether feeding higher volumes of milk or milk replacer would suppress intake of start