Autor: Abbey Dugan

by Kelly Driver, MBA

When we consider calf care, we generally focus on things like colostrum, consistency and cleanliness, but how often do we consider another ‘C’ word of great importance – communication? This month we will hear from two skilled managers, of both calves and their calf care teams.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

RACHEL: I am currently the Dairy Operations Manager at Willow Bend Farm, LLC. My career started at Willow Bend Farm 10 years ago. Throughout that time, I have taken on many opportunities, ranging from working in different areas of the dairy, taking management courses and networking in the dairy industry.

MEGAN: I am the farm manager at Genetic Futures. While I did not grow up on a farm, I did spend lots of my time on my family’s farm, Erbacres Holsteins, and showing dairy cattle. I attended UW-Madison and obtained a degree in Dairy Science and have been working at Genetic Futures for 5 years.

Please tell us a bit about your operation.

RACHEL: Willow Bend Farm, LLC is a 4500 Cow Dairy in the Finger Lakes region of NY. We milk at three facilities, all within 30 miles of each other. We have 4100 head of young stock, and all our wet calves are raised at the home farm. We feed 600 pre-weaned calves in hutches, three times each day.

MEGAN: Genetic Futures is a recipient facility in Wisconsin, owned by Mike and Julie Duckett, where the end goal is to produce a healthy calf for our customers. We put a strong emphasis on calf care as we are raising some of the most elite genomic animals in the breed. We raise our calves in both hutches and calf barns. We have around 400 calves on milk at a time and they are fed bottles the entire time they are on milk. We feed calves 3 times a day.

Please tell us about the team you lead.

RACHEL: The calf team is made up of a total of 5 full time employees. 4 working on the day shift and one at night. This team also cares for the maternity area.  

MEGAN: I lead a team of 4 people during the day and we do the morning and afternoon calf feeding as well as take care of bedding, cleaning, etc. Then the milking team does the night feeding.

How would you describe your leadership or management style?

RACHEL: Visionary, Leads by inspiring.

MEGAN: I would describe my management style as involved, as I enjoy being hands on with the calves and working closely with my team members. I would also say that it is performance focused as I strive to produce the best calf possible for our customers and I push my team to do the same. Finally, I would say that it is protective as I fight hard for my team and do the best I can to make it worth their time to be here and do a good job.

How do you recruit members of your calf care team and what qualities do you look for in team members?

RACHEL: We love to grow our people within the farm. Becoming a part of the calf team is a part of climbing the ladder. Rarely do we hire outside of the farm when it comes to working with young stock. It gives our employees something to strive towards. We look for our 5-core values in potential calf team members: Safety, Teamwork, Professional, Can-do attitude, and Positivity.

MEGAN: I find new employees through the other people I have working on my team. The main thing I look for is that they are willing to work hard and care about doing a good job. I am less concerned whether or not they have experience with calves as I like to have the opportunity to train them from scratch so I can avoid any bad habits that may have come from previous employment.

If you employ a person without previous calf raising experience, how do you train them?

RACHEL: Employees start off with our on-boarding program where they will get a minimum of two weeks training.

MEGAN: I rely on my other team members that have been here the longest to train new employees. I have a lot of confidence in the group of people I have trained to make sure that the new people are properly trained. They know the standards to which we raise our calves and keep the others held to that standard. They also know that it will come back to them as well as make their job more difficult if they do not do a good job training the new people. 

Do you use job descriptions or protocols in any way to assure that employees understand their specific duties, or do you employ a learn-as-you-go model?

RACHEL: We have job descriptions for our employees and written protocols for our employees to follow along with holding yearly trainings. 

MEGAN: We have treatment and cleaning protocols that are in place on our farm. We try to keep things very consistent and as routine as possible so that there are never any questions as to how things should be done. 

How do you keep the communication between yourself and team members open and ongoing?

RACHEL: We have lots of meetings! We like to meet and go over things before we start each day, then we also have monthly vet and staff meetings to review how things are going or any concerns.

MEGAN: I am working with my team every day and will jump in to help them from time to time. I believe that this helps them know that I don’t consider myself higher than them and during this time we can talk about anything that might need to be fixed or changed. If we are ever having problems with the calves, I will ask their opinion as to what is going wrong to see if they are noticing something I am not.

How do you balance the need to cross-train, in case team members need to cover for one another, with getting the normal daily work completed?

RACHEL: We believe you should always have three people trained to every job in case one is on vacation, one calls in sick or has an emergency, then you still have one person to rely on. 

MEGAN: The calf team all knows how to do any of the jobs that would be required of them when it comes to things like bedding, feeding and cleaning. I have one person that is trained to treat and vaccinate calves when I am not there. For training, I had my protocols translated to Spanish and then had him work alongside me as I was doing the treating and vaccinating for a few weeks. We still will do this every once in a while, and ask questions, just to make sure he is confident in what he is doing and handling these situations.

How do you address any calf health or management issues that arise?

RACHEL: We have monthly vet meetings where we sit down and talk about all the positives and negatives happening within the calf department. We like to focus on the things we need to improve on before our next meeting.

MEGAN: When calf health issues arise, I check with my calf team to see if they have noticed anything that I haven’t. From there I do testing with our vet to find where the problem is. From there we work to make adjustments to make sure we do not run in to the same problem again.

How do you address on-going education and training of team members?

RACHEL: We have a yearly schedule of trainings that need to be reviewed and once a month we will check off those trainings as the year goes on. For example, sanitation training is due in September. We will make sure we set up a training date to review this with our teammates.

MEGAN: I work with my assistant calf manager a couple times a month to make sure we are on the same page. 

Have you found any outside resources or websites particularly helpful in educating team members?

RACHEL: Lots of them! A few that came to mind are Cornell Cooperative Extension, Merck Animal Health and Zoetis.

MEGAN: I have not used outside resources to train. 

Do you offer any incentives to your calf care team if certain goals are achieved (one example: average daily gain targets for x number of months each year)?

RACHEL: We have in the past, but we’ve stepped away from it for many reasons. If we could, we would! I think incentives are a creative way to help get employees engaged.

MEGAN: We do not have any incentives but I try to always make sure they know I appreciate the work they do. For example, if they worked really hard and got a lot done on a hot day, I will get them ice cream. I also like to get lunch for them once in a while when I notice that they have been working extra hard. I think small gestures like that go a long way to show appreciation for what they do for the farm.

What are three key things you would share with a first-time calf team manager?

RACHEL: Communication is key. Trust your employees. Inspire new ideas. 

MEGAN: First, I would suggest finding a main go-to person on your team that you trust to take care of the calves when you are gone. You have to be gone at times and coming back to calves, that weren’t taken care of at the same level as you would, is not helping your calf program progress. Second, your team is going to put in as much as you do. Show them how important calf health is to you and they will make it a priority as well.  Third, make sure you have protocols in place as this keeps everyone on the same page and gives something to fall back on when things are not getting done properly.

Kelly Driver, MBA has been involved in the New York dairy industry all her life. In addition to raising dairy calves and replacement heifers, she is the Eastern US & Canada Territory Manager for Calf-Tel. Feel free to contact her at kellydriver@hampelcorp.com with your calf questions or suggest a topic you would like addressed in a future blog.

by Sam Leadley and Kazzie Nero

• Too many challenges and too little immunity
• The futile search for “THE” cause of sickness (scours, pneumonia).
• A team approach is most likely to succeed.

We are bombarded with messages about the importance of doing a good job of colostrum management, including feeding plenty of high-quality colostrum as soon as practical after birth and the well-accepted “3 Q’s” (Quantity, Quality, Quickly) for doing a good job of establishing passive immunity in the newborn calf. Why, then, in the face of what should be “good-enough” passive immunity, do young calves get sick?

While answering a question about calving pen management a speaker at a dairy meeting observed, “Sh** always wins.” He was simply stating the fact that sufficient exposure to adult cow manure, especially before the newborn’s first feeding of colostrum, will virtually insure all the exposed calves will get sick. When the “challenge” side of the balance on the right above outweighs the “defense” side on the left above, we have a sick calf.

The Futile Search for “THE” Cause of Sickness (Scours, Pneumonia)

One approach to solving this “imbalance” between pathogen challenge and immunity is to search for “THE” cause of the imbalance or sickness. This is a very seductive mind set. It falsely promises to simplify a very complex biological world.

For example, we are treating an excessively large number of pneumonia cases among 11-week-old calves in our transition pens. It is easy to be seduced into thinking that the most recent diagnosis (coccidiosis) is still appropriate. Treat for that, and we can forget about it.

Nevertheless, why does this pneumonia issue keep repeating among this age group in this barn? Are there other multiple underlying causes? Is the problem more intense when we begin feeding free-choice hay as soon as the calves arrive at this barn rather than limit-feeding hay for the first 10 to 14 days (a rumen development issue)? Is the problem more intense when a high proportion of calves coming into the barn have a history of pneumonia in the pre-weaning phase (lung tissue damage issue)?

The Team Approach Can Help Identify “Real-World” Causes and Solutions

Who are the folks that could make up the “calf management” team? On-farm, this may include the primary calf care person, “fill-in” or relief calf-care persons, the herdsperson(s) and/or owner(s). If your nutritionist is skilled in calf growth and development, she/he should be included. Especially important in this case is to include the herd veterinarian.

If the rates of calf sickness or death are higher than desired, probably the primary calf care person needs to take the initiative to push for a “team” approach to solving the problems.

The first and most important goal for a first team meeting is support and encouragement. “We can do a great job rearing calves!” Always start on a positive note. We want to work together to improve calf care. Then, it is time to review what is currently happening – successes in weaning gains as well as weaknesses in sickness and treatment rates as well as death.

These are the steps in team building. This is where you build commitment to working as a team.

Then, it is time to go on to the next steps:

Identify the most likely causes of morbidity and mortality. Draw on the varied experiences of the team – every person has the opportunity to see the calf/heifer enterprise from a different perspective. Avoid being caught in “THE Cause” trap.

Identify the multiple ways in which immunity may be compromised.

Select one or more courses of action designed to enhance immunity. The resource “Increasing Resistance to Pathogens” is available at INCREASING RESISTANCE TO PATHOGENS (atticacows.com).

Identify the multiple sources of pathogens involved.

Select one or more courses of action designed to reduce pathogen exposure below critical levels. The resource “Reducing Exposure to Pathogens” is available at REDUCING EXPOSURE TO PATHOGENS (atticacows.com).

Another systemic approach to morbidity problems was suggested by Dr. Sheila McGuirk (School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wisconsin) in her presentation, “Managing Calf Diseases.” And outline for this is available at HAACP Application (atticacows.com). Her analysis is divided into two parts: (1) Preventing excessive exposure to pathogens and (2) Inadequate resistance in the calf.

Thank you to Attica Veterinary Associates, Attica, NY for sharing this article written by Dr. Sam Leadley, who traveled the world leading calf care discussions, and his associate Kazzie Nero. You can access more of their calf related materials at atticacows.com, under the Resources tab.

by Kelly Driver

Let’s kick off this second round of handy hints with a few items related to the warmer summer temperatures that have arrived. As I write this blog, we are experiencing temperatures in the mid-90°F range and everyone is warm…calves and their caregivers. Read on farther for some more handy ideas I have observed on different farms recently. Dairy farmers are certainly some of the most innovative and creative people to know.

Fresh, Cool Water

Fresh, clean, cool water is one of the most important things we can deliver to calves during high temperatures to help with heat stress. In the photo on the left, the Calf-Tel starter bowl is used to encourage the youngest calves to drink water sooner in the shallow dish. The calf on the right is drinking a mid-day delivery of electrolytes from the gray colored direct attach fence pail. Many calf caregivers prefer lighter colored pails to keep water cooler in the summer.

Shade

Shade can’t be emphasized enough to help calves in hot weather. Pictured below are two different examples of ways we see producers provide shade on the warmest days.

Fresh Air

Calf caregivers are always clever when thinking about ways to help get more fresh air to calves. The picture on the left is from the western United States where they built a platform for their hutches to sit on allowing calves to enjoy the gentle breeze via the mesh floor under the hutches, while also providing the shade inside the hutch. On the right, we see producers retrofitting the Calf-Tel Lower Rear Vent Kit into a hutch, allowing for better air flow at calf nose level when they are laying down. These kits are available at calf-tel.com or your local authorized dealer.

Mats

Do you have old rubber mats from your cow barn? This producer put them to use with their hutches to provide a barrier that minimizes the mud and mess in front of the hutches. They also use them in the hutches with wood shavings for calf comfort in the summer heat.

Latches & Gates

Take a look at this homemade pail washer! This innovative calf raiser mounted a spinning brush into a sink and powered it with a small motor to help speed the process of cleaning calf pails regularly at their facility.

Dehorning Past Tape

Are you using dehorning paste and concerned about other calves licking it off their pen mates? We really liked this idea of putting short strips of duct tape over the paste application to prevent others from ingesting the caustic paste. By the time the tape falls off, the horn bud spots are generally healed nicely.

At Calf-Tel we are passionate about helping calf raisers accomplish their goals easily. If you have tips and ideas that you would like to share with others, please email them to kellydriver@hampelcorp.com and be sure to follow Calf-Tel on Facebook.

Kelly Driver, MBA has been involved in the New York dairy industry all her life. In addition to raising dairy calves and replacement heifers, she is the Eastern US & Canada Territory Manager for Calf-Tel. Feel free to contact her at kellydriver@hampelcorp.com with your calf questions or suggest a topic you would like addressed in a future blog.

When was the last time you stopped your work to ponder the important part rubber calf nipples play in getting your newborn calves off to a good start? There are many brands of nipples on the market, so how do we know which is best for our operation? Every manufacturer is striving to achieve the perfect blend of durability and ease of use. Newborn calves often find it easier to nurse a softer nipple, but that softness can also lead to a shorter useful life of the nipple.

Your calf bottle nipples are one of the most critical items for newborns as they’re often the way you can effectively carry the first critical colostrum and continue to deliver the calf’s meals based on the farm’s feeding program. This means the proper use and care of these nipples is of the utmost importance.

With every manufacturer striving to achieve the perfect blend of durability and ease of use, it can leave calf raisers with a lot of questions. Let’s take a deeper look into the potential factors that could jeopardize feeding your own calves.

The Two Causes of Nipple Wear

There are two primary factors that cause calf nipples to wear. The first is mechanical wear, caused by calves sucking or chewing on the nipple. The second factor is chemical effects, brought about by repeatedly cleaning and sanitizing the rubber.

Mechanical Wear

Purely by the way calves nurse, nipples can become worn overtime which causes the nipple to become too elongated and the rubber of the nipple body to become too thin. This often causes an unnecessary and excessive amount of milk to be delivered to the calf. 

Chemical Wear

Many cleansers and sanitizers are known to have a harsh effect on nipples, with iodine sanitizers noted for being extremely harsh and shortening the usefulness of the nipple most quickly.

How to Check the Quality of a Calf Bottle Nipple

In most cases, you should be able to see a distinct difference between a bottle that’s been too worn-out vs a brand-new calf bottle nipple. However, you can also test the flow of milk to ensure everything is working properly. All you need to do is hold the bottle upside down with the nipple attached. You’ll want to see a steady drip come out of the nipple. If you see a steady stream of milk instead, it’s time to replace that nipple on the calf bottle.

How to Best Maximize Useful Life of the Nipple

While nipples are designed to resist the wear caused by calves nursing and chewing on the nipple, as well as cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, eventually they all wear out. Some of the signs of wear are a thinning of the wall and elongation of the nipple when compared to a new one. We might also observe splitting or tearing of the x-cut on the end of the nipple resulting in milk leakage when the bottle is tipped or turned upside down.

Rob Costello of Merrick’s nipple manufacturing company offers these tips for extending nipple life in a Merrick’s Tech Bulletin:

1. Use a gentle detergent for cleaning. It is recommended to wash nipples with a common dishwashing detergent purchased at a local grocery store. Let the nipples soak in the detergent water for about 5 minutes with a water temperature of 125-135°F.
2. Use an effective, gentle sanitizing solution. After nipples are removed from the detergent solution, place them into a dilute chlorhexidine solution. Costello suggests using 8 oz. of 2% chlorhexidine for every 10 gallons of water, again with a water temperature of 125-135°F. Let nipples remain in the solution for about 2 minutes. Straight chlorine and iodine are used by some producers to sanitize nipples and are harsh enough to pull the natural oils out of the rubber, drying the nipples out.
3. Remove nipples promptly from solutions. Nipples should not be allowed to soak for long periods of time in either the detergent or sanitizing solutions. Rubber will swell when left in water, so immersion times should be short. When the nipples are removed from the sanitizing solution, place them on a rack to air dry until the next use.
4. Remove bottles and nipples promptly after calves have finished drinking. Nipple life is greatly affected by the amount of time a calf sucks and chews on the nipple after emptying their bottle.
5. Be attentive to subtle changes in feeding, cleaning and sanitizing protocols. Minor changes can have significant effects on nipple life, according to Costello. Small changes in the amount of time calves have access to empty bottles or the concentration of cleaning and sanitizing agents can have significant effects on the useful life of the calf nipple.

Should I Cut the Nipple on my Calf Bottle?

Have you looked to ensure that the x-cut hole in the calf bottle nipple is not too large? There is a happy balance to be struck here. The opening should be large enough that the calf does not have to struggle to get milk. But the opening should not be so large that milk runs out of the bottle when it is turned upside down.

One item I have learned to examine over the years is the vent hole in the nipple. The vent allows air into the bottle while milk is being sucked out, keeping the bottle sides from collapsing. The air from the vent hole releases the vacuum that is formed when the calf is nursing the bottle. Sometimes when examining new nipples that calves are struggling to get milk out of, I have found a thin membrane on the vent hole left over from the rubber molding process. This actually prevents the vent hole from working properly and I suggest using a pin or small sharp item to assure the vent hole is open. This will allow for quicker and more even milk flow for the calf and is a much better option than cutting the nipple to enlarge the actual nursing hole.

Risks of a Worn Nipple

If the nipple opening is cut or gets too large from wear, milk can enter the calf’s mouth faster than they may be able to swallow it, which increases the chances it may end up in the lungs. This results in what we call aspiration pneumonia. Calf care givers all know a calf with pneumonia means extra work for proper treatment and increased costs for medicinal treatment. Aspiration pneumonia is potential for permanent lung damage and even culling. For these reasons, we always want to take a few seconds to examine and evaluate calf nipples.

As calf raisers, we notice big differences in drinking speeds between calves. Some can swallow more milk quickly and easily. Others will struggle with harder nipples and even moderate amounts of milk. A skilled calf feeder will recognize these differences and adapt the nipple being used to match the calf’s ability to nurse safely from the bottle. This is a skill that we cannot undervalue when considering the health of our herd.

Find the Right Nipple for Your Calf Feeding Needs

Ultimately, the right nipple and bottle for your calves depends on your feeding program and the individual feeding abilities of your herd. At Calf-Tel, they offer a range of feeding accessories including bottles with nipples in order to help calf raisers find the right supplies they need to keep a healthy farm.

Kelly Driver, MBA has been involved in the New York dairy industry all her life. In addition to raising dairy calves and replacement heifers, she is the Eastern US & Canada Territory Manager for Calf-Tel. Feel free to contact her at kellydriver@hampelcorp.com with your calf questions or suggest a topic you would like addressed in a future blog.