CALVES & HEIFERS

The sun is shining, and winter is a distant memory. You may be eager to spend time in the field and catch up on tasks you couldn’t do all winter. But during this busy time, don’t forget how warmer weather is impacting your calves.

We have gained tremendous momentum in dairy calf nutrition research, with publications tripling over the last 20 years. And rightfully so, since dairy calves are the future of the milking herd and how they are fed and managed during early life influences their future reproductive efficiency, capacity for milk production and health.

We expect a lot from heifer calves in today’s modern dairy world, which requires more efficiency and consistency for success. Populating the milking herd with any heifer is no longer viable.

Capturing calf growth potential is one of the greatest benefits of automatic calf feeders. But by the time weaning comes around, we tend to take our eyes off the ball in a hurry to move calves out the door.

Harmful pathogens lurk everywhere on a dairy. Taking a whole-farm approach to pathogen reduction can break the cycle of infection and re-infection that may prevent your herd from performing at its best.

Raising replacement animals is a key segment of many dairy operations. Not only does it represent a significant cost, but it also demands an important investment in time and dedication to raise highly performing heifers.