CALVES & HEIFERS

Your total cost to raise calves is an important metric, but it’s especially important when profit margins are tight.

Cold stress occurs when an animal expends energy to stay warm. Newborn calves are most susceptible to cold stress due to their low body fat and ratio of high surface area to body mass.

Have you ever wondered why calves don’t grow as well in the winter as they do at other times of the year?

I read mixing directions on a milk replacer tag recently, and it said “mix at 15% solids” which seems simple enough. But what does “15% solids” mean? Is it 15% by weight or 15% by volume?

Pair raising calves is increasing in popularity in the North American dairy industry, where some welfare and productivity benefits have been consistently shown in recent studies. Pair- or group-housing calves during the milk-feeding phase reduces the age at which calves have contact with other calves.

As a passionate farmer, you do everything you can to keep calves looking and performing their best. But what if one of the greatest opportunities to support calf health is something you cannot visually see?