Colostrum management practices are considered successful when: 90% of the tested calves have a serum total protein concentration ≥ 5.2 g/dl 80% of tested calves have a serum total protein concentration ≥ 5.5 g/dl In the UW-Extension Heifer Blueprint Assessing Failure of Passive Transfer, Oconto County Agriculture Agent Sarah Mills-Lloyd and Fond du Lac County […]

Providing an excellent environment is a key component in successfully raising calves. For calf housing, the environment includes the calf’s resting space, feeding and walking surface. In the UW-Extension Heifer Blueprint Bedding Comfort, Oconto County Agriculture Agent Sarah Mills-Lloyd and Fond du Lac County Dairy & Livestock Agent Tina Kohlman share how often and when […]

Disinfection is critical to breaking the disease cycle.  Items that are in contact with calves (i.e. feeding, equipment, housing, trucks and trailers, health management tools, etc.) need to be properly cleaned and disinfected after each use. In the UW-Extension Heifer Blueprint Best Practices for Cleaning & Disinfecting, Oconto County Agriculture Agent Sarah Mills-Lloyd and Fond […]

There is no one way to raise a dairy replacement. Increasingly I see a wide range of methods used successfully to raise replacements. Goals should be to raise sound animals that will be useful for your herd and to do so economically. Calves can be housed in hutches, individual pen barns, or group fed. Older […]