Healthy Calf Conference
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Feeding
Is bloat causing sudden death in your calves?
Bloat in calves is most frequently seen in the first one to two weeks of life. Calves may refuse milk, have a distended abdomen (right side or both sides), grind their teeth, kick at their belly, become depressed or lethargic, have droopy ears, and may die suddenly. The time between the first signs of bloat […]
Healthy and productive cattle have a ruminal pH of 6.5 to 7. If the ruminal pH changes too much (gets too low or too high), cattle begin to experience symptoms that impact health and reduce performance. Symptoms to watch for: Depression/lethargy Off-feed Elevated heart rate Diarrhea Poor body condition Reduced growth/weight loss Elevated temperature Bloat […]
There is no “one size fits all” solution for milk feeding calves. Due to the huge variation in milk and milk replacer quality and different management systems, no one type is always better for every situation. Regardless of which choice you make for your calves, aim to ensure they grow well, are healthy and are […]
Strategies to prevent cross-sucking in unweaned calves
One of the first goals when feeding calves milk is usually to transition them to drinking from a bucket as soon as possible. It’s no secret that bottle-feeding calves takes more time than bucket-feeding calves. Feeding calves milk or milk replacer from buckets is simple; it is easier to pour milk into a bucket than […]
Weaning is one of the most stressful times for calves, and successful weaning management is essential to ensuring a smooth transition from a liquid to a solid diet. To avoid problems such as reduced growth rates, weight loss, and diarrhea at the time of weaning, there are a variety of management strategies to combat these […]
Cold weather is stressful for calves. Those that are exposed to the cold are predisposed to respiratory tract infections (pneumonia). Appropriate nutrition and a fresh supply of water will do a lot to help them overcome stress. When calves are not fed adequately in cold temperatures, they don’t grow as quickly since they are using […]
The purpose of calf starter is to transition the calf from the milk–feeding period to the dry feeding period. Calf starter is very important to healthy rumen development, good body growth and successful weaning of the calf. StarterEncouraging calves to eat starter can be difficult. Here are our best tips.
Heat – just like cold – is stressful for calves. Hot weather causes calves to reduce their feed intake, while also increasing their maintenance requirements, due to the energy required to keep cool. This results in a lowered average daily gain. When it is hot, they will eat more at night than during the day, […]
Water is an important part of caring for calves. Water improves average daily gain and feed conversion, is very beneficial in the development of the rumen, encourages starter intake, and helps in digestion and the metabolic function of the calf. Calves do not receive enough water in milk to meet their needs. Even slight dehydration […]