Proper management is essential for bottle-fed calves
Healthy calves are critical to the success and profit of a dairy operation.
Knowing the potential for illness, administering quick treatment and preventative strategies can set a producer and their calves up for success.
Dairy calves are typically bottle fed and require intensive management from the producer.
“In the case of dairy calves, we see less disease and death from calves that are removed from their dam and fed a known quantity, quality and clean colostrum,” Dr. Scott Poock, associate Extension professor with the University of Missouri, explained. “This is due to the fact that dairy calves tend to be less vigorous than beef calves, and dairy cows mothering ability is much less than beef cows. This means you do not know when the calf nursed the dam, how much colostrum it consumed, nor the quality of the colostrum consumed.”
Bottle feeding allows producers to track the calf’s nutritional intake.
When bottle feeding, there are strategies producers can utilize to keep calves healthy and avoid the dehydration that stems from scours and pneumonia, which Poock noted are two of the most common dairy calf ailments. A calf that contracts these or other illnesses will typically be listless, stand with a lowered head, have a runny nose and/or a messy backend, and have a fever.
Reagan Bluel, field specialist in dairy with the MU Extension, advised that producers to regularly feed an electrolyte solution to keep calves well hydrated and avoid these issues. If a calf is already receiving two to three feedings a day, Bluel recommended feeding a third or fourth bottle of exclusively electrolytes – especially if a calf is already showing signs of illness. The electrolytes can be fed to a calf via a tube if it will not take a bottle. Bluel advocated doing whatever it takes to try and keep the calf alive.
Catching dehydration early can be critical. A badly dehydrated calf will have a literal pH change in their blood and once that happens. “It’s really hard to get her back,” Bluel said.
The routine feeding of electrolytes can help prevent this issue. Bluel suggested producers keep a commercial solution on hand, or work with their herd veterinarian to create a homemade solution.
Many dairy calf health problems, including scours and pneumonia, stem from poor sanitation practices. Just like with the electrolytes, prevention is key.
“Cleanliness is a cornerstone of keeping calves healthy, all the way from the environment that the calf is born in, to clean colostrum, to clean feeding equipment, to clean bedding, etc. You can easily overwhelm a calf’s young immune system by being unsanitary,” Poock explained.
