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Scientific articles
Calf Management
Monitoring calf care
9/25/2006
Monitoring calf care: Goals and thresholds & what to do when goals are not met
Goals and thresholds
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.
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.
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.
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.
What to do when goals are not met
1. Newborn care and feeding colostrum:
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:
Check rinse sample results on colostrum storage equipment.
Review procedures for chilling fresh colostrum to 40°ASAP.
3. Cleaning milk feeding equipment:
Check compliance with washing procedure protocol.
Check for bacteria in milk replacer, less than goal.
4. Calf growth rates:
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.
Keywords
calf health
hygiene
infection
scours
Author
Sheila M. McGuirk
3 articles
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://www.wisc.edu/
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