HEIFERMAX

We are forced to change only when it becomes too uncomfortable to stay the same.

If you dread the calf rearing season because you hate dealing with sick calves, if you begin the calving season with your fingers crossed that you don’t lose too many calves or if, every time you feed a bit more milk to the calves, the shed is covered in scours, then the chances are that your calf welfare is poor and your dairy enterprise is losing big money.

• Calves which have severe scours or bouts of pneumonia will never catch up to their healthy peers.

• Compensatory growth does not exist in baby calves; any weight that is not put on in the first few weeks of life will never be regained.

• Heifers which have been ill will always be at a disadvantage compared to their healthy herd mates.

• Heifers which were sick as babies are likely to breed late; they are more likely to be overweight and to suffer more metabolic disease and calving problems than heifers which are ready to mate at 12 - 14 months.

• Calves that suffer a disease challenge will never be able to reach their potential milk production as an adult.

The financial benefit stemming from improved lifetime production and feed conversion efficiency alone is sufficent reason to improve management practices. If you add to this the current high value of export heifers, the need for a change in what the industry accepts as normal is re-inforced.

Economics is driving change but an even greater stimulus to change is the rising public awareness of animal welfare issues. Farmers need to realise that what they know or consider to be normal may not be seen that way by the city dwelling public.

Making changes from choice is a lot easier having them forced on one by legislation or public condemnation.

Baby calves have evolved to drink milk. Although they have a digestive system comprised of the same 4 “stomachs” or compartments as an adult ruminant, 3 of these stomachs, the rumen, reticulum and omasum are non-functional at birth. Read more »

In a previous post I explained the difference between genotype and phenotype. Many of the high producing Holstein cows in Australia have the genetic potential to produce as much as 15,000 litres/lactation. Their phenotype, or the actual amount they produce per lactation, is influenced by many interacting factors.

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Raising replacement heifers is just one of the routine jobs done on a dairy farm. But how many people think about why they are raising those heifers? What is the ultimate goal and does the current path actually get to that goal?

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Suggestions that calf care people tube feed sick or newborn calves are often met with cries of “Oh, no, I’m scared of doing that!”. Some calf raisers are afraid to tube calves in case they hurt the calf or get liquid into the calf’s lungs. While stomach tubing calves may not be the most exciting task it is a very necessary skill for dairy farmers and calf rearers to master. Read more »

During a recent discussion, a dairy farmer made the comment that beef calves get on fine when they are left to suckle their colostrum from the cow. He went on to query the recommendation that dairy farmers routinely administer colostrum to their calves.

His comments highlighted the fact that many dairy farm personnel are confused about colostrum and the role it plays in the life (or death) of a dairy calf.

I hope this article develops a better understanding of the reasons behind this recommendation.

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How can it be late March already?  It  seems only a couple of weeks since we had the PCRAA conference in Tatura.

The conference went well, with the most positive feedback ever.  The audience found the information presented by the four speakers very helpful.  The PCRAA was set up to provide information to anyone raising calves, and it would seem that this year the conference achieved this aim particularly well.

Time is running out to register for the P.C.R.A.A. conference next Monday

 This is shaping up to be  a brilliant conference with some very up to date, possible controversial & certainly discussion provoking information about calf nutrition being presented. Well worth the trip to Vic for any dairy farmers or calf rearers serious about their business.

Phone 0428 867551 to register or for more details.

 There will be an informal group of people going out to dinner the night before the conference; if you would like to join us, let me know when you register for the conference.

Calf Nutrition – growing better heifers.

The Professional Calf Rearers’ Association  is holding its annual conference  on January 17^th 2011 at the Ballantyne Centre, Tatura. This is the first day of International Dairy Week and we hope that farmers will take the opportunity to attend our conference and stay for the rest of dairy week.

Since our inception we have had high calibre speakers presenting information a range of calf & dairy heifer related topics; this year is no exception. The theme of this year’s conference is calf nutrition and related information will be presented by four speakers. Read more »

In 2003 when I first visited U.S. dairies and calf & heifer facilities, I heard about Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) & Mycoplasma, two diseases which are major causes of calf morbidity and mortality. At the time I naïvely thought how lucky we were in Australia not to have such complex diseases. Subsequent working visits to the U.S. re-inforced my understanding of the impact these diseases have on heifer health and the level of challenge they pose to calf managers. Read more »