Calves & Heifers

Imagine that your car will go 60 miles per hour in the summer but only 30 mph when the temperature is freezing, and it will not run at all when the temperature falls to 0ºF. This is an accurate illustration of how cold temperature adversely affects rate of gain in calves.

Calves can cross-suck on each other not only when housed in pairs or groups, but also when housed individually with contact through pen dividers.

The use of plants in human medicine has a long, rich history.

Dairy cows have a natural drive to groom themselves and to scratch those hard-to-reach itches on their bodies. When given the opportunity, dairy cattle use mechanical brushes daily at every stage of their lives.

As I travel around the country and go from farm to farm, I see a good trend beginning to take hold as dairy producers are understanding the value of carrying extra heifer inventory.

Young ruminants rely heavily on milk in the early stages of life to provide proteins, energy and essential nutrients to grow and stay healthy.