Calf

What’s important during this life stage?

• Maximizing calf health (keeping bedding/facilities/equipment clean, dry and sanitized to reduce scouring and respiratory disease)
• Calf immune system development
• Promoting early starter intakes for good rumen development
• Reducing weaning stress

Common challenges:

• Due to their underdeveloped immune systems at birth, calves are extremely susceptible to disease in their first two months of life. Scouring calves and/or calves experiencing respiratory disease have decreased performance, are at risk of re-infection and ultimately end up being poor performers in comparison to their healthy counterparts upon joining the lactating herd.

Tips for maximizing health and performance: 

• Remember: Raising a healthy, productive calf starts before she’s born.
  • Calves need to be born into a clean, dry, well-ventilated environment with adequate amounts of dry bedding.
• Be prepared for necessary birth assists.
  • Ensure that all calving equipment is clean, dry and sanitized.
  • Dip the navel with 7% tincture iodine as soon as possible after birth.
• Remove the calf as soon as possible.
  • This helps to avoid injury from the dam and also aids in avoiding contamination from manure or other potential contaminants that may be present in the calving area.
• Feed one gallon of high-quality colostrum within two hours of birth.
  • This provides essential antibodies and immune protection to the calf.
• Cleanliness is key.
  • Proper hygiene is critical for young calves to thrive, especially in the first month of life, when their immune system is still developing.
  • Keep in mind that exposure to pathogens can be detrimental or even fatal in the first months of life.
• Proper nutrition is critical.
  • Calves need to be offered a high-quality, highly palatable calf starter within the first three days of life.
  • Keep the calf starter fresh and clean. Avoid letting calf starter build up in calf buckets.
  • Consistent feeding of high-quality calf milk replacer or whole milk is essential for early calf performance. Follow the mixing and feeding directions closely.
  • Wean calves when they’re consistently consuming three pounds of calf starter per day for three days in a row.
• Reduce stress.
  • Stressful events are hard on young calves and put them at risk of disease and decreased feed intake. Do not compound stresses.
  • Common stresses include calf handling, diet changes, pen movements, transportation, heat or cold stress and vaccinations.