Strategies For Rearing Co-Mingled, Colostrum-Deficient Calves

Abstract

Colostral immunoglobulin levels and exposure to pathogens are the two most important factors that affect health and mortality of baby calves. Farm management that affects either of these two factors has been shown to have a significant impact on calf morbidity and mortality.¹

Dairy farms are capable of controlling colostrum feeding to insure immunoglobulin transfer and managing the environment to minimize pathogen exposure. Calf ranches, however, characterized by the co-mingling of day old calves purchased from a variety of sources, place calves at high risk of enteric and respiratory pathogen exposure. Failure of colostral immunoglobulin transfer is also high in these calves since the dairies from which calves are sourced have little incentive to feed colostrum.

This report describes approaches to manage health programs for calves under different management systems. Calf management programs for dairy herds will be contrasted with those of calf ranches. Results will be compared so that practitioners can appreciate problems that may be encountered if calves with different histories are treated the same.