WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY in the past 10 years. On most farms, calves are now regarded at or close to the same level as the lactating herd. This has been nothing short of a revolution in common calf care practices. Nowadays it is more common to see a pre-weaned calf with a coat on than not, milk feeding rate has doubled (20% of body weight versus 10%, or even better, ad libitum), sufficient quantity and quality of colostrum is delivered in a timely manner. We also provide clean dry ample bedding and keep records of treatments. For all of this investment, our return is a lower age at first calving and more milk in the first lactation. These seem like basic necessities, and they are, but a mere 10 years ago this was not the case. The future of the calves in our care looks bright.
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