Calves & Heifers

Weight gain. Two words that strike fear in humans – unless they’re talking about calves. It’s well documented a healthy calf should, at a minimum, double their birthweight before weaning, but the scale doesn’t tell the whole story and, sometimes, it can be misleading.

For T&K Red River Dairy in Stanfield, Arizona, raising calves comes with its fair share of challenges. To help mitigate this, farm co-owner Tim Dugan chooses to focus on minimizing stress and maximizing nutrition to raise healthy, productive replacement heifers for the 13,000-cow dairy he owns and manages with his father, Tom Dugan Sr., and brothers, Tom Dugan Jr. and Tony Dugan.

When it’s 105ºF outside, it’s 105ºF in the hutch – that’s the reality of raising calves in Arizona according to Tim Dugan, co-owner of T&K Red River Dairy in Stanfield, Arizona.

It’s true what they say: Hindsight is 20/20. But many post-project regrets can be avoided by drafting a plan up front. This statement is especially true when it comes to calf housing. Whether you’re starting new or making changes to an existing calf housing setup, a solid plan is critical to calf performance and labor efficiency for years to come.

Ultrasonography is gaining momentum as a way to monitor lung health in young dairy cattle. An ultrasound exam takes less than a minute and helps us understand the presence and severity of underlying pneumonia.

There are several causes of calf scours, but fluid replacement via electrolytes is a requirement for all scours treatments. By simply reversing the dehydration, the calf can be saved without antibiotics.