Monitoring Calf Care: Goals and Thresholds & What to do when goals are not met

Goals and thresholds	What to do when goals are not met
1. Newborn care and feeding colostrum:
• Quarterly – draw blood from all heifer calves between 2 and 7 days of age on herd check day. • Goal for blood serum total protein is 80  percent 5.0 and greater, 50 percent 5.5 and greater. • Quarterly – summarize the number of new navel infections requiring treatment. • Goal for navel infections is less than 10 percent.	• Review colostrum feeding – timing, quantity, and antibody content. Check for bacteria in colostrum, less than goal. • Check to see that tincture of iodine is being used for navel dipping and that all calves are dipped.
2. Colostrum collection and storage:
• Quarterly – collect “as-fed” sample of colostrum and culture for bacteria. • Goal is less than 5,000 cfu/ml of coliform or other enterotoxic bacteria.	• Check rinse sample results on colostrum storage equipment. • Review procedures for chilling fresh colostrum to 40°ASAP.
3. Cleaning milk feeding equipment:
• Quarterly – collect rinse samples from (a) nursing bottle and nipple, (b) esophageal tube feeder, and (c) buckets used to store colostrum and milk replacer mixing and feeding. Culture samples for bacteria. • Goal is less than 5,000 cfu/ml of coliform or other enterotoxic bacteria. • Quarterly – collect “as-fed” sample of milk replacer and culture for bacteria. • Goal is less than 5,000 cfu/ml of coliform or other enterotoxic bacteria.	• Check compliance with washing procedure protocol. • Check for bacteria in milk replacer, less than goal.
4. Calf growth rates:
• Within the first three days of life, using a heart girth weight tape, estimate birth weights on all even numbered calves. • Using the same tape, estimate weaning weights of all calves taped at birth. • Quarterly – summarize the amount of weight gained by these calves and estimate average daily gain. • Goal is at least 1.7 pounds average daily gain at 42 days.	• Review milk replacer mixing protocol. • Review milk replacer feeding protocol. • Review starter grain feeding protocol. • Review water feeding protocol • Review health records of calves gaining less than goal adg.