Dairy calf barns.

[CattleArmy]

On my trip I was given the informative opportunity to tour an 1800 + dairy. It was very interesting. The picture above is of a fairly new dairy calf taken out of the newborn nursery moved to a calf barn. No one is allowed in the newborn nursery and normally nobody is allowed in the calf barn however since my brother knew the dairy guys daughter if we promised not to touch the calves (which was hard for two young cowkids) then we would be let in.

The calves live in these stalls for the three weeks. They have a pan for food and one for water. Twice a day a bottle is slipped in the middle hole. The stalls were imaculate. Dairy calves especially Jersey are very suseptical to disease and death. The stalls were very clean for the calves being there all the time.

After three weeks the calves are moved to this style of calf barn. They can go outside. They live here for the following four months.

 

[nonothing]

Nice pics and ty for the tour.. :wink:

 

[Jassy]

I've been to a barn like that once, long ago...this one is alot neater and cleaner...course maybe regulations have helped that. It's hard for me to see babies confined like that when we're use to seeing them run and play...but I understand it's a different business and they got to do what they got to do...Thanks for posting these...

 

[CattleArmy]

I've been to a barn like that once, long ago...this one is alot neater and cleaner...course maybe regulations have helped that. It's hard for me to see babies confined like that when we're use to seeing them run and play...but I understand it's a different business and they got to do what they got to do...Thanks for posting these...

That was the comment I made. I derive most of the livelyhood of my family from raising cattle. However, seeing the calves confined in this manner bothered me. I will say it was very neat and clean. The lady giving the tour said due to how fragile the calves are this is just what they have to do to help them live. Like I said before we couldn't even touch them that is how carefully they monitor what comes in contact with them.

 

[kolanuraven]

I know zilch about dairy cattle.

But what makes these Jersey calves so fragile as compared the the registered Jersey cattle up the road here, who live like a Queens mind you!!, and have their calves just like any regular old cow.

 

[Carter]

On the dairy the calves can not stay with their mother and continue to get the antibodies from the milk, Cleanliness is of the utmost importance for dairy calves. I can't tell you why but I lived on a dairy my whole life until a few months ago and dairy calves get sick easier than stockers for some reason. Lots of care is given, vaccines, health checks, etc but the biggest differance that I can see is that you are having to hand raise these calves versus letting them run with their mothers and maybe that is why they get sick easier.

 

[CattleArmy]

I know zilch about dairy cattle.

But what makes these Jersey calves so fragile as compared the the registered Jersey cattle up the road here, who live like a Queens mind you!!, and have their calves just like any regular old cow.

When I asked why they required being handled in this manner the response was that the dairy calves die easy. Why the difference in these and the ones you speak of I honestly have no idea.

 

[kolanuraven]

I know zilch about dairy cattle.

But what makes these Jersey calves so fragile as compared the the registered Jersey cattle up the road here, who live like a Queens mind you!!, and have their calves just like any regular old cow.

When I asked why they required being handled in this manner the response was that the dairy calves die easy. Why the difference in these and the ones you speak of I honestly have no idea.

Ok..now I don't feel so stupid!!! :lol: :lol:

But what Carter posted kinda makes sense. I knew the calves were pulled from the moms early...but didn't think of it when writing the post.

 

[CattleArmy]

I know zilch about dairy cattle.

But what makes these Jersey calves so fragile as compared the the registered Jersey cattle up the road here, who live like a Queens mind you!!, and have their calves just like any regular old cow.

When I asked why they required being handled in this manner the response was that the dairy calves die easy. Why the difference in these and the ones you speak of I honestly have no idea.

Ok..now I don't feel so stupid!!! :lol: :lol:

But what Carter posted kinda makes sense. I knew the calves were pulled from the moms early...but didn't think of it when writing the post.

On that thought the lady giving the tour did say the calves never get to suck their mothers. I asked not even for the clostrum and she said no. Maybe that has more to do with it too.

 

[kolanuraven]

Like Chip & Dale would say.... " I concur"

:lol: :lol:

 

[IL Rancher]

The local small dairy that we are friendly with (Same church and kids same age) doesn't have many problems but they milk our colostrum and feed the calves with actual milk from the cows instead of bringing in milk replacement. Said when they switched to this their sickness rates went way down.. Was at a larger dairy yesterday talking to the owner and his operation was more like the larger on in sickness of calves. Those get colostrum but are on milk replacer.. Said milk is too valuable to feed to the calves.. I suppose so but man, seems crazy sometimes..

 

[Carter]

we always left the calves with their mom for 24hrs to get their first milk and then they went to the pens, then crates, and so on and the cow to the fresh pen to make sure everything went good as teats adn such.

 

[DaleK]

Dairy cows are giving so much more milk than beef cows when they freshen that the colostrum is usally gone within 12-24 hours anymore anyway. We milk our fresh cows as soon as we see a calf and tube-feed the calf as much colostrum as it can hold, otherwise they won't physically drink enough to get the antibodies they need. Then they go out in a hutch.

 

[milkmaid]

On that thought the lady giving the tour did say the calves never get to suck their mothers. I asked not even for the clostrum and she said no. Maybe that has more to do with it too.

Just FYI... a lot of the dairies deal with Johnes, and the heifer calves are pulled as quickly as possible from the cows as a precaution. Bull calves are sometimes fed colostrum from their dams just because it doesn't matter for the steers headed to the feedlot. That's the main reason a lot of dairies - esp the large ones - have gone to feeding 100% milk replacer, or else pasturizing the milk prior to feeding.

 

[Northern Rancher]

well that's a big step up from knocking them on the head like used to happen. The dairy business is pretty far removed from the beef business that's for sure-our last dairy guy quit up here so the closest is probably 175 miles away now.

 

[HeyNow]

On that thought the lady giving the tour did say the calves never get to suck their mothers. I asked not even for the clostrum and she said no. Maybe that has more to do with it too.

Just FYI... a lot of the dairies deal with Johnes, and the heifer calves are pulled as quickly as possible from the cows as a precaution. Bull calves are sometimes fed colostrum from their dams just because it doesn't matter for the steers headed to the feedlot. That's the main reason a lot of dairies - esp the large ones - have gone to feeding 100% milk replacer, or else pasturizing the milk prior to feeding.

OMG HLS; post your proof please of this statement I for one would LOVE to see a list of farms that use this as reasoning.BTW I can guarantee that the calves all received colostrum and just because they dont drink from the Dam does not mean they don't get real milk and receive antibodies from milk.Next time when you go for a tour do not post half truths.You will never make it as a journalist.

 

[milkmaid]

From
http://www.vmtrc.ucdavis.edu/dfs/johnes/johneupdate.pdf

• With progressive nature of the disease in mind, how can a dairymen try to protect his herd from Johne's
  Disease? The National Johne's Working Group suggests the following preventive measures:
  
  - Reduce exposure to calves in the maternity area by providing a clean, dry area; remove calves
  before they can nurse their dams; provide clean feed and water for calves; keep manure from
  mature animals away from calves.
  - Feed calves "low risk" colostrum from test-negative cows.

From http://www.johnes.org/handouts/files/Vita_biosecurity.pdf

• AFFORDABLE STRATEGIES FOR CONTROLLING JOHNE'S DISEASE
  ONCE IT IS IN YOUR HERD
  First and most important. Follow best management practices for calf rearing. That means:
  1. Have written procedures for maternity pens and calf rearing, called Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that everyone on the farm reads and follows.
  2. Maternity pens must NOT be located near sick cow pens.
  3. Cows that test-positive for Johne's disease should calve in a separate pen.
  4. Remove the calf from the cow within an hour.
  5. Feed the calf 4 quarts (3 qts. for smaller breeds like Jerseys) of colostrum collected from a single Johne's disease test-negative cow within 12 hours of birth.
  6. Feed calves ONLY pasteurized milk up to weaning. This can be bought as milk replacer or pasteurized on-farm with commercially available systems.

I have a friend who works on a 550 cow dairy where they feed Colostrumate to all their heifer calves at birth, and milk replacer until weaning. Yes, Johnes is a major concern to the large dairies, and they'll do whatever it takes to prevent it.

 

[CattleArmy]

On that thought the lady giving the tour did say the calves never get to suck their mothers. I asked not even for the clostrum and she said no. Maybe that has more to do with it too.

Just FYI... a lot of the dairies deal with Johnes, and the heifer calves are pulled as quickly as possible from the cows as a precaution. Bull calves are sometimes fed colostrum from their dams just because it doesn't matter for the steers headed to the feedlot. That's the main reason a lot of dairies - esp the large ones - have gone to feeding 100% milk replacer, or else pasturizing the milk prior to feeding.

OMG HLS; post your proof please of this statement I for one would LOVE to see a list of farms that use this as reasoning.BTW I can guarantee that the calves all received colostrum and just because they dont drink from the Dam does not mean they don't get real milk and receive antibodies from milk.Next time when you go for a tour do not post half truths.You will never make it as a journalist.

Someone forget to take their meds today????

I don't claim to know about daries I just took a tour that I was very glad to get to go on and enjoyed a lot. I felt it was very informative and a neat look into another agriculture lifestyle. I was thankful for the peoples time that answered the questions and just so you understand in no way was this being submitted as a journalist. Just as a post I thought some would find interesting.