If you are a runner or used to be like I used to be before back injuries, it was fun to win or be near the top in races wasn’t it? We tend to focus on the winners and the former winner who finished near the “back of the pack.” What about those runners crossing the finish line not the top nor bottom? Maybe you were the “middle child” growing up in your family. You know the rest (I was the oldest “the experiment” as my dairy farmer dad sort of put it)
Likewise on dairy and beef heifer we tend to put our eyes on the baby calves and bred heifers, so what about the weaned calves and open heifers? They need attention too! If they are expected to calve at 23-25 pound weights, how will they get there if they are not challenged to grow and develop into the highly profitable healthy, long lived cows you want? There is no “off season” every day is game day in the 720 days or so from birth to calving.
Did you ever think about this? In about 720 days that 80 pound heifer calf will have to gain about 1,120 pounds by calving! That is typical gaining about 1.5lbs/day.
1) Group calves and heifers according to size not age. Some grow slower than others.
2) Talk to your nutritionist about testing feed every 90 days and create a ration for maximum, growth/test your water 1X/year and keep a heated winter tank for interested winter intake.
3) Feed only whole milk (the best cow farmers who produce champion cows say they fed whole milk to the calf)
4) For best results get on Immu-pro today for baby calves mix 1/4oz (0.25) in the milk to calves every day to help speed the growth (about 70lbs more by weaning) and help prevent nearly all scours and respiratory problems; keep them on Immu-pro the cow’s whole life.
Mike Sokolowski President Alpha Genetics Inc.
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