by Scott Smith
Senior Ration Analyst

I want to remind everyone to review the calf raising practices in use on your dairy operation. These young animals are your future herd and a key ingredient to your profit potential .

A sound calf program begins before the calf is born. Having the dry cows on ANC's dry cow program is the beginning to a successful calf program. A well fortified and properly balanced dry cow ration will produce strong, vigorous calves able to resist hostile environmental factors.

Keep maternity pens clean and well bedded to reduce the opportunity for infection or disease . High quality colostrum from the dam should be fed within one hour of birth to maximize absorption of the antibodies needed to protect the calf. Feeding 4 to 6 quarts of colostrum is recommended for the first three days. (See Hagen article, front page)

Use ANC Calf Power Plus to fortify whole milk or high quality milk replacer. This product supplies micronutrients to get calves off to a healthier start with less scours. ANC also handles a top-of-the-line all milk 20-20 milk replacer. During periods of cold winter weather increase the amount of milk replacer fed to supply extra energy to calves housed outdoors. Large calves also require more milk or milk replacer. Keep calves clean and dry at all times to reduce incidence of pneumonia. Cold, wet, dirty and drafty conditions will reduce potential for optimal growth rates and increase veterinarian costs, death loss, and feed expense.

Within the first week, a high quality calf starter should be introduced to the calf. The starter grain is important to the beginning of rumen function development and anaerobic bacteria population growth. Having clean water available free-choice will encourage starter consumption and increased daily gains. Weaning can occur when grain consumption is at 2 pounds a day for three consecutive days. High quality hay can be introduced when the calf is weaned. Change to a grower grain mix when starter intake reaches 4-5 pounds per day.

ANC Calf Pellets (or ANC Calf Base if making up your own mix) provide the fortification levels needed to support optimum calf growth in starter and grower diets. ANC has standard formulas available or we can design a grain mix specific to grains and proteins available to you. High quality hay, abundant fresh clean water, dry bedding, draft-free housing and ANC starter and grower grain mixes are good management decisions for young calf growth and development.

Let your ANC Consultant help you fine tune calf raising and heifer growing programs on your farm. The goal is to reduce sickness and death loss, bring that calf from birth to production in a cost-effective manner, with large framed heifers in the 1350 pound range to calve in 22 to 24 months.