Calf Management Practices and Health Management Decisions on Large Dairies

Calf raising practices were studied to obtain a picture of managers approaches to calf management.Ten categories outlining calf management practices were used to formulate questions for on-farm surveys of 46 dairies.To assess consistency in management, managers decisions were scored to indicate whether they coincided with currently accepted recommendations for effective calf management.Results indicate that calving area sanitation is .oftennot maintained with cows in the maternity area for long periods.Most calving areas are near constant activity with few scheduled observations performed.Treatment of the calf's navel is not universal nor is automatic supplementation of colostrum.Colostrum intake is often left to the calf with most operators unsure of the quantity being consumed.Veterinary advice or services are seldom used for calves; treatments are performed primarily by calf raisers.Large dairy operations showed inconsistency in calf management practices, inadequate use of calf records, and use of labor sources outside the operatot's family.Large herd size often dictated labor-intensive calf management practices.