The calf program has often been relegated to a lower priority for the dairy business as it is a current expense with a delayed impact on future income. However, with the use of genomics and sexed semen plus the increased value of dairy-beef animals and replacement heifers, things have changed. There’s greater incentive to feed calves better to improve income and farm profit, whether from beef sales or improved health and production of females.
A calf feeder does an important job, but they may not be recognized for either great or poor calf care. A calf manager, on the other hand, sets goals, analyzes data, evaluates resources, and allocates them successfully to achieve objectives in raising a calf that meets the farm’s needs economically. They identify bottlenecks and factors that impede progress. They may also perform tasks of the feeder but take their responsibilities to the next level. They are likely passionate about calves.
Think like a manager
What are the keys to being a great calf manager?
First, set goals for the calf program. Those listed in the Gold Standards by the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA; calfandheifer.org) are a good start. Additional ones unique to the farm are also appropriate.
Think like a cow manager. What information is needed for successful management of the lactating dairy herd? No one would remotely think about managing cows without timely, objective information, such as milk yield.
What information is useful in managing calves? Desirable data should be easily measured, recorded, timely, and highly correlated with economic performance.
Colostrum is the starting place for success. A reasonable goal for bacteria counts of colostrum as it’s fed to the calf is less than 50,000 colony forming units per milliliter (cfu/mL). Higher bacteria counts impede absorption. Handle colostrum with the same care used for saleable milk.
Brix readings above 22 are indicative of immunoglobulin G (IgG) content greater than 50 milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL). Successful IgG transfer is the “gold” standard for colostrum management. The table represents currently accepted goals.
Record all treatments with primary emphasis on respiratory and digestive disease. For preweaned calves, cases of pneumonia should be less than 10% of the herd, and cases of scours should be less than 15%. Survival rates (24 hours to weaning) of 97% are suggested by the DCHA.
Stay on track
The average daily gain between birth and weaning is rarely measured on many farms but needs to be. Can one imagine not knowing milk production of lactating cows for making management decisions? Weights at birth and weaning are essential for evaluation of the calf program.
One simple goal that can be indexed for each breed is that calves should double their birth weight by weaning at 56 days. This translates to expected gains of more than 1.1 to 1.6 pounds per day for birth weights of 65 to 90 pounds.
Let’s not forget that technology applies to calf management, too. Most records for calves are first recorded on paper. Delays and errors in transcription are common problems. Strive to transition records to an electronic format as soon as possible.
Identify all calves using an RFID tag at birth. Record events such as health treatments and body weight by use of a wand to identify the calf followed by recording relevant information on a phone or tablet. This technology reduces lag and errors in transcription from paper to electronic records.
A taste of technology
Robotic milking systems have transformed how we use information to better manage the lactating herd. This technology can also greatly enhance our management of the preweaned calf with calf autofeeders. Consider the following use of calf data.
Milk intake and drinking speed are valuable tools to predict the onset of disease, often hours or even days before the calf feeder might detect illness. A considerable advantage is that this information is readily available to the calf feeder, calf manager, herd manager, and veterinarian in an electronic format in real time. As we study this data more, it’s likely that some type of index will enable more reliable prediction of disease onset and recovery from disease.
Estimating body weights using scales under the front feet in autofeeders has proven to be reliable. Again, research will tell us what “normal” variation is during the day or from day-to-day in healthy and diseased animals.
Calf starter intake can also be measured in group-housed calves. Research has shown that this is a reliable tool for determining when to wean a calf if milk availability is linked to starter intake.
Activity is also a useful predictor of disease onset. How much time does the calf spend lying in the pen, and how is this related to health?
For individually reared calves housed in hutches or calf barns, there are systems that utilize an ear tag to monitor calf behavior. This system is successful in identifying calves with a moderate illness according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison scoring system at least seven hours prior to treatment using observer identification to identify sick calves.
Is your dairy business prepared to “manage” calves? It requires a commitment to developing a system that captures essential information to make decisions in a timely manner. Consider adoption of those technologies that offer the most economic return and will be utilized by personnel who are managers and not just feeding calves.
