Biofilms are all around us. Biofilms are defined as microbial growth on a solid surface and may harbor bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that may cause disease in calves. In the Heifer Blueprint factsheet Biofilms-Your Biological Foe, UW-Extension Oconto County Agriculture Agent Sarah Mills-Lloyd discusses the impact of biofilms and how to properly clean feeding equipment […]
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High quality corn silage and alfalfa are often used for feeding dairy heifers. These can work well for young heifers up to ~8-12 months of age depending on forage quality. However, pregnant dairy heifers have lower energy needs than younger dairy heifers and feeding the correct diet energy is important to control weight gain. In […]
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Should dairy producers use conventional semen, sexed semen, or beef semen when breeding their heifers and cows? The simple answer is: “It depends.” UW-Extension & UW-Madison Department of Dairy Science Dairy Management Specialist Victor Cabrera shares in the Progressive Dairyman article, Pick a straw: Conventional, sexed, or beef semen? the factors to contemplate what type […]
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The cost of raising dairy replacement calves is a significant cost on Wisconsin dairy farms in the production of milk. Calculating the costs associated with raising dairy calves is an essential part of dairy business management. To augment individual dairy calf cost of production analysis, the dairy industry also requires a set of benchmark costs […]
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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 […]
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