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Calf health — page 2

Calf care, vaccination automation winners at Eurotier 2024
Four gold and 21 silver innovation awards named by the German livestock event
Calf care data and vaccination automation are technologies which won awards at Eurotier 2024 from November 12 to 15.

What it’s like dealing with avian influenza on a dairy farm
Lower milk production and the need to treat many cows are some of the challenges
Avian influenza infections on dairy farms in the United States are difficult, as heard from dairy farmers at the World Dairy Expo 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Dairy beef changes dairy management, beef market
Large increases are seen in price for dairy cows, calves
The rapid rise in beef cattle prices has driven inflation and fundamental change in the dairy sector. Similar to the price for beef calves and cows, cull dairy cows, young cross-bred calves destined for the beef market and fresh milking cows have more than doubled in value.

Labour savings only the beginning with automated calf feeders
Producers at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show 2024 find they offer flexibility
Labour savings are the main reason dairy and veal producers express interest in automated calf feeding systems. But once installed, producers at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show 2024 find the systems have other benefits too.

Why group calf housing continues to grow
Labour efficiency, strong growth and socialization are reasons why farmers choose group housing of calves
More dairy farms are turning to group housing. In this second article on housing young calves, how group housing is working on farms. (Read the first article here)The content of this article comes from a video podcast produced by the Dairyland Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is hosted by Courtney Halbach, extension specialist, […] Read more

Why individual calf housing continues to be popular
Disease management and individual feeding are reasons farmers use individual calf hutches
Housing for young unweaned calves has evolved greatly. Today, there are different styles, with variations. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. This article is the first in a series of two. Read the next article here.In a video podcast, the Dairyland Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison presented the different types of housing for young […] Read more

Strategic use of chelated trace minerals in dairy rations makes sense
There are specific cases where chelated trace minerals should be used in dairy diets
In the last couple of years I have noticed that most dairy lactation diets contain a fortified level of chelated trace minerals. When I ask dairy producers why they feed them over conventional ones, they often say they don’t know or their nutritionist thinks it is a good idea. There is nothing technically wrong with […] Read more

Preventing the introduction of BVD
European analysis shows dairy herds at greater risk for the disease than beef cattle
Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) infection is typically introduced to a herd with the arrival of a persistently infected (PI) animal—a bovine that appears normal but sheds large amounts of the BVD virus into the environment. Naïve cattle exposed directly to the virus through nose-to-nose contact or indirectly through contaminated materials become sick with a fever, […] Read more

Managing veterinary medicine shortages
Cattle producers often find bare shelves when they need animal health products
In the ever-changing world of global supply, cattle producers regularly face inconsistent supplies of critical animal health products. This makes it necessary for producers to be in close contact with their veterinarians to ensure they’ve got what they need when they need it. The issues that can affect supply are varied and include: For example, […] Read more

Purple coneflower can aid calf immunity
Humans have taken purple coneflower, or echinacea, to manage colds and infections
A University of Guelph study shows that feeding purple coneflower to dairy bull calves has positive effect on immunity and inflammation levels. Purple coneflower, known by the scientific name echinacea, has long been used by humans to try and prevent the common cold, infection and skin wounds and conditions. It is thought to stimulate immune […] Read more