Drs, Michalak, Hardesty, and Nusbaum attended the Heartland Feed Services Calf Meeting. Kevin Dhuyvetter of Elanco Explored the Economics of Raising Dairy Replacement Heifers.
Milk Silo Non Negative for H5N1 Milk silo surveillance for bird flu started in late January. In mid February, a silo tested non negative. Confirmation test showed it to be negative with a false positive test.
2 more herd Outbreaks of Respiratory These outbreaks come out of nowhere and suddenly. Symptoms seen have decreased rumenation, heavy breathing and sudden dead cows. You may want to consider vaccinating your herd with Nuplura or Once PMH.
Coccidiosis the most common time of year Coccidiosis is a protozoan infection of the large and small intestine. Infected animals shed oocytes in feces. Non-infected animals consume oocytes from contaminated pastures, feed, water and bedding and by grooming contaminated their coats. Protozoan parasites can remain dormant for weeks or months in soil, water and vegetation. They thrive in a moist, moderate environment.
Signs are: diarrhea (sometimes bloody), caked feces on the tail, dehydration, reduced feed intake, weakness, depression and immunosuppression. Calves between 3 weeks and six months are most vulnerable. Overcrowded animals in stressful situations without an ionophore in their diets are most susceptible. Diagnosis is a quick microscopic examination of feces. Rumensin kills the cocytes at 3 different stages of the life cycle and reduces fecal shedding. Management can minimize contamination of feed, water, and soil. Suggestions are routinely cleaning maternity pens, cleaning and relocating hutche, raise water troughs above the ground, wash boots and clothing after contacting calves.
Pinkeye is caused by a group of organisms that colonize the cornea with a characteristic white dot and reddening of the cornea, increased tearing and potentially cornea rupture resulting in blindness. Moraxella bovis is the traditional organism that has caused pinkeye. It is primarily a summer time disease with flies as a major vector and long grass on pasture injuring the cornea creating a place for moraxella bovis to colonize. It is generally treatable with long acting tetracycline and some topical antibiotics. Mineral status also plays a role in immune function and prevention.
Ten or more years ago, the pinkeye world changed with the introduction of moraxella bovoculli. This organism spreads year round, is not in most commercial vaccine. Additionally it is not susceptible to tetracycline. It spreads where cattle congregate, especially around waterers. While other antibiotics have been needed, we have also built an autogenous vaccine of isclates from our cases. We update this vaccine periodically when we see a new “hot” case. The vaccine has to be a 98% match with the challenge strain in order to give protection. To cover this, we have Moraxellla bovis, five strains of Moraxella bovoculli, and two strains of mycoplasma bovoculli in our vaccine. We have found a better response to vaccination when cattle get a dose of Multimin with the first dose.
We like to place the first dose six weeks before the usual cases on your farm with a booster at three weeks. IBR can also cause corneal compromise and pinkeye colonization. Therefore, the quality of your vaccine is important. Bovi-Shield and Titanium are good options. Some others we do not recommend.
You will always have problems. Learn to enjoy life while solving them.
People do not decide their futures. They decide their habits and their habits decide their future.
Weaning Calves- best practices
-Dr Katie Buatois
Weaning is a challenging time for calves, but appropriate weaning management practices can set calves up for success long-term in the herd. Compared to natural conditions, weaning of dairy calves occurs fast and early in life, so supporting calves during this transition is critical.
It has long been accepted that calves should double their birth weight at weaning, however recent research has shown it is not unreasonable to expect calves to nearly triple their birth weight by weaning. Feeding calves an accelerated plane of
nutrition, meaning 20% or more of their body weight in milk, improves growth preweaning and improves future milk production when they join the lactating herd. Increasing milk allowance has also been linked to increased play behavior in calves, a sign of improved welfare. Are you weighing calves to see how you are doing? You can’t manage what you don’t measure. It is a disappointment to raise a big calf to weaning then have it flounder in the post weaning period. All periods of growth are important but post weaning is quite vulnerable.
With higher milk allowances, ensuring adequate grain intake becomes even more crucial. A starter grain high in fermentable carbohydrates is needed to stimulate papillae growth in the rumen as well as increase rumen weight and volume. It is
recommended to start offering grain as early as possible, preferably before two weeks of age. The type of starter matters too. Pelleted or texturized starters are typically consumed more than fine grains, improving overall intake. Calves need ta consume a significant (2 pounds or more) of grain a day for at least three weeks to develop rumen papillae that can support the weaned calf without miik.
Water consumption at a young age is linked to increased starter intake, which has a number of long-term benefits. A collection of recent studies has shown that calves provided water from birth had greater hip height, body weight, feed efficiency and apparent digestibility of fiber at weaning. Calves should be provided a bottle of water following their milk bottle at each feeding.
Providing forage in addition to starter grain during the pre-weaning period also has a number of benefits including improved average daily gain, dry matter intake and muscularization of the rumen. However, forage intake should be limited to 10- 15% of total dry matter intake to ensure adequate consumption of grain.
A number of studies have shown that gradual weaning, aS opposed to abrupt weaning, helps ensure adequate consumption of starter grain and improves average daily gain during and after weaning. Weaning over a period of at least two weeks is recommended. Studies have also shown that average daily gain is maximized when calves are weaned after 8 weeks of age.
Finally, social housing has shown itself to be beneficial for calves before and during weaning. Specifically, small groups of 2-4 calves have shown to have increased feed intake and weight gain, while not having any negative impacts on overall health.
Supporting calves during weaning is crucial to their growth and overall success in the herd in the future.
In life you can only control two things, your effort and your attitude.
Milk Silo Non Negative for H5N1 Milk silo surveillance for bird flu started in late January. In mid February, a silo tested non negative. Confirmation test showed it to be negative with a false positive test.
2 more herd Outbreaks of Respiratory These outbreaks come out of nowhere and suddenly. Symptoms seen have decreased rumenation, heavy breathing and sudden dead cows. You may want to consider vaccinating your herd with Nuplura or Once PMH.
Coccidiosis the most common time of year Coccidiosis is a protozoan infection of the large and small intestine. Infected animals shed oocytes in feces. Non-infected animals consume oocytes from contaminated pastures, feed, water and bedding and by grooming contaminated their coats. Protozoan parasites can remain dormant for weeks or months in soil, water and vegetation. They thrive in a moist, moderate environment.
Signs are: diarrhea (sometimes bloody), caked feces on the tail, dehydration, reduced feed intake, weakness, depression and immunosuppression. Calves between 3 weeks and six months are most vulnerable. Overcrowded animals in stressful situations without an ionophore in their diets are most susceptible. Diagnosis is a quick microscopic examination of feces. Rumensin kills the cocytes at 3 different stages of the life cycle and reduces fecal shedding. Management can minimize contamination of feed, water, and soil. Suggestions are routinely cleaning maternity pens, cleaning and relocating hutche, raise water troughs above the ground, wash boots and clothing after contacting calves.
Pinkeye is caused by a group of organisms that colonize the cornea with a characteristic white dot and reddening of the cornea, increased tearing and potentially cornea rupture resulting in blindness. Moraxella bovis is the traditional organism that has caused pinkeye. It is primarily a summer time disease with flies as a major vector and long grass on pasture injuring the cornea creating a place for moraxella bovis to colonize. It is generally treatable with long acting tetracycline and some topical antibiotics. Mineral status also plays a role in immune function and prevention.
Ten or more years ago, the pinkeye world changed with the introduction of moraxella bovoculli. This organism spreads year round, is not in most commercial vaccine. Additionally it is not susceptible to tetracycline. It spreads where cattle congregate, especially around waterers. While other antibiotics have been needed, we have also built an autogenous vaccine of isclates from our cases. We update this vaccine periodically when we see a new “hot” case. The vaccine has to be a 98% match with the challenge strain in order to give protection. To cover this, we have Moraxellla bovis, five strains of Moraxella bovoculli, and two strains of mycoplasma bovoculli in our vaccine. We have found a better response to vaccination when cattle get a dose of Multimin with the first dose.
We like to place the first dose six weeks before the usual cases on your farm with a booster at three weeks. IBR can also cause corneal compromise and pinkeye colonization. Therefore, the quality of your vaccine is important. Bovi-Shield and Titanium are good options. Some others we do not recommend.
You will always have problems. Learn to enjoy life while solving them.
People do not decide their futures. They decide their habits and their habits decide their future.
Weaning Calves- best practices
-Dr Katie Buatois
Weaning is a challenging time for calves, but appropriate weaning management practices can set calves up for success long-term in the herd. Compared to natural conditions, weaning of dairy calves occurs fast and early in life, so supporting calves during this transition is critical.
It has long been accepted that calves should double their birth weight at weaning, however recent research has shown it is not unreasonable to expect calves to nearly triple their birth weight by weaning. Feeding calves an accelerated plane of
nutrition, meaning 20% or more of their body weight in milk, improves growth preweaning and improves future milk production when they join the lactating herd. Increasing milk allowance has also been linked to increased play behavior in calves, a sign of improved welfare. Are you weighing calves to see how you are doing? You can’t manage what you don’t measure. It is a disappointment to raise a big calf to weaning then have it flounder in the post weaning period. All periods of growth are important but post weaning is quite vulnerable.
With higher milk allowances, ensuring adequate grain intake becomes even more crucial. A starter grain high in fermentable carbohydrates is needed to stimulate papillae growth in the rumen as well as increase rumen weight and volume. It is
recommended to start offering grain as early as possible, preferably before two weeks of age. The type of starter matters too. Pelleted or texturized starters are typically consumed more than fine grains, improving overall intake. Calves need ta consume a significant (2 pounds or more) of grain a day for at least three weeks to develop rumen papillae that can support the weaned calf without miik.
Water consumption at a young age is linked to increased starter intake, which has a number of long-term benefits. A collection of recent studies has shown that calves provided water from birth had greater hip height, body weight, feed efficiency and apparent digestibility of fiber at weaning. Calves should be provided a bottle of water following their milk bottle at each feeding.
Providing forage in addition to starter grain during the pre-weaning period also has a number of benefits including improved average daily gain, dry matter intake and muscularization of the rumen. However, forage intake should be limited to 10- 15% of total dry matter intake to ensure adequate consumption of grain.
A number of studies have shown that gradual weaning, aS opposed to abrupt weaning, helps ensure adequate consumption of starter grain and improves average daily gain during and after weaning. Weaning over a period of at least two weeks is recommended. Studies have also shown that average daily gain is maximized when calves are weaned after 8 weeks of age.
Finally, social housing has shown itself to be beneficial for calves before and during weaning. Specifically, small groups of 2-4 calves have shown to have increased feed intake and weight gain, while not having any negative impacts on overall health.
Supporting calves during weaning is crucial to their growth and overall success in the herd in the future.
In life you can only control two things, your effort and your attitude.
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