Forget to write down that important point from the 2016 Building the Foundation: Dairy and Veal Healthy Calf Conference? Were you not able to attend and wondering what the buzz is about? Summaries of talks from the day are now available online!
Dr. John Mee, Newborn calf care – can we do better?
The first 48 hours of a calf’s life are its most hazardous. According to a leading dairy researcher, approximately 85 per cent of newborn calf mortalities happen within one hour of calving. And 66 per cent of calves that die in the perinatal period – the time immediately before or immediately after birth – were alive at the start of calving.
Dr. Dave Renaud, Assessing calf health can save money, keep disease at bay
Standardized and timely calf health assessments can have a positive impact on the animal’s long-term productivity. The economic cost of diarrhea is significant at $33.46 per pre-weaned calf per year.
Dr. Amy Stanton, Starting healthy calves for the dairy-beef industry
There’s a growing market for dairy-beef cattle – male dairy calves are now being raised for meat up to 12 to 14 months of age.
Rose Keunen, Calf feeding success with streamlined protocols: A producer success story
Rose and Henry Keunen are award-winning southwestern Ontario dairy farmers. Their innovative approach to problem-solving and their attention to even the smallest details are keys to their success, particularly when it comes to calf feeding.
Dr. Dave Leger, What’s happening with antibiotic stewardship and where do farmers fit in?
Changes are afoot when it comes to the use of antibiotics in livestock production. Growing concern over antimicrobial resistance is behind a new federal framework released last fall, and everyone in the industry has a role to play to ensure farmers will still have access to needed medication.
There’s a new, multi-drug resistant disease in Ontario and its affecting the province’s dairy and veal farms. Although Salmonella dublin predominantly affects cattle, it is also transmissible to humans as well as other livestock species, and can cause massive devastation in a herd with high levels of illness and death.
Download the complete proceedings here
Healthy calves are the building blocks of every successful dairy and veal operation, and early management and rearing practices are a key component of raising a healthy, productive animal. Find practical ways to help your calves reach their full potential here.
The Codes of Practice are nationally developed guidelines for the care and handling of farm animals. They serve as our national understanding of animal care requirements and recommended practices.
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