Are you a calf manager or a calf feeder? First, let’s start with some definitions. The calf feeder is the person who does their job. They aren’t recognized for either great or poor calf care. It’s a “low ranking” job on the farm. A calf manager sets goals, analyzes data, evaluates their resources and allocates […]
What have “autofeeders” taught me about feeding dairy calves? Most of us that have fed calves have a similar impression of “what’s normal” for feeding calves and calf behavior. What was “normal”? We fed them twice a day. We fed two quarts (liters) per feeding. We did this because milk or milk replacer was expensive […]
Calf immunity #3 – Optimizing absorption and achieving the benefits of colostrum *Post contributed by Julia Hamann, D.V.M., Field Technical Specialist Diamond V This is the last of the three-part series by Dr. Hamann. Check out the first two blog posts if you haven’t done so already! Calf immunity #1 – The three components of […]
Calf immunity #2 – Colostrum and the calf’s gastrointestinal development *Post contributed by Julia Hamann, D.V.M., Field Technical Specialist Diamond V This is the second of the three-part series by Dr. Hamann. Check out the first blog post if you haven’t done so already! Colostrum plays a significant role in the calf’ intestinal development and […]
Calf immunity #1 – What is it and how do we optimize it in the preweaned calf? *Post contributed by Julia Hamann, D.V.M., Field Technical Specialist Diamond V We are pleased to present a three part series on how to optimize immunity in the preweaned calf contributed by Dr. Julia Hamann, Field Technical Services Veterinary […]
Using Colostrum Replacer to Prevent Protocol Drift *Post contributed by Dr. Adam Geiger, Research Nutritionist | Lactation Physiologist | Calf Technical Consultant, Zinpro Corporation Just about every producer globally understands the importance of colostrum to the newborn calf. Most producers also know how important well-defined protocols are to calf performance and health. However, I have […]
Calf management strategies are continuously evolving as market conditions and social pressures evolve. In this post, we compare a few different options and highlight which practices are fundamental to raising the best calf, while being mindful of future changes on the horizon, so you can plan for long-term success.
Automated calf feeders are increasing in popularity with progressive dairy farmers who want to raise top-notch heifers by offering several benefits over manual feeding.
Alyssa Dietrich graduated from Penn State University in 2013 with a B. S. degree in Animal Sciences. During the summer of of 2013 she interned with Elanco Animal Health. She obtained an M.S. degree in Dairy Science at Virginia Tech and was part of a joint study with Dr. Whitney Knauer on the management of automatic calf feeders. Read more …
Hi, I’m Dr. Bob James… welcome back. As we kick off the calf blog, I want to let you know a bit about the content and what format we will use over the next year. Read more…
