With so much attention placed on animal welfare, the perspective of farmers is often overlooked, even though they are the ones who provide care to animals daily and have the greatest impact on animal welfare

Feeding high-quality colostrum is recognized as a critical factor to raising healthy calves. In addition to supplying important immunological components, colostrum is rich in nutrients, hormones, and and...

I think baby calves are adorable and sweet. If I see one, there is no doubt that I will walk up to it with my arm outstretched, palm up, to let it suck on my hand with all its slobber and sandpaper-feeling...

At the 2006 American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) conference in Minneapolis, a speaker presented some unique findings from their human milk studies

Calf rearing aims to promote growth and intestinal development while minimizing health incidences. One of the significant challenges for young calves is diarrhea and other digestive issues. Digestive challenges...

We’ve probably all quipped the phrase, “If you have livestock, you’ll have dead stock, too.” It’s so true

Even on the worst day, a baby calf can make you smile. They only really want one thing, and that’s food. Unlike the cows, our youngest calves can’t graze, nor do they quite understand that...

We are just about halfway through the 500 babies that will be born during this calving season on the farm in New Zealand where I am interning this summer

There are so many decisions to be made on a farm. While some require quick, on-your-feet thinking, other decisions are best made after a careful review of the situation and hopefully with some data to...

What’s the best calf starter? Of course, the answer is whatever starter fits your operation

People who purchase calves from other farms to raise put a lot of trust in the source farm. The care those calves receive before and immediately after birth can make a big difference in how successful...

It unfortunately doesn’t take much for a bright and bouncy dairy calf to become sick. Early intervention can often turn the calf back around, but even a simple illness may leave a lasting impact

Electrolytes are often just the ticket calves need to get through a bout of diarrhea. Veterinarian Amelia Woolums recommends administering electrolytes as soon as diarrhea is identified to prevent dehydration,...

It doesn’t take long for a dairy calf to go from healthy to unwell when faced with a bout of diarrhea

While calf starter is a component of the preweaned dairy animal’s diet, the majority of nutrients needed for growth during this first stage of life come from milk or milk replacer

I took a walk out to our calf hutches last week to begin summer preparations to that area of our farm

This week, I painted a few brushstrokes of pink and cream paints in our nursery in preparation for the birth of our baby girl in August. While this will be our first child, I will say that I am no stranger...

In the first weeks of in life, dairy animals are vulnerable to disease, building strength to grow, and learning how to use and interact with their environment

Just like for humans, transitions cause stress for animals. For dairy animals, these types of adjustments aren’t just limited to what we call “transition cows” — calves also go...