Best Management Practices (a self-evaluation checklist of these BMPs is available upon request)
Calves
Veterinarian Care
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Vaccination of calves and pre-fresh animals
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Passive immunity testing
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Navels clean and dipped
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Securing good passive immunity
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Early diagnosis of scours and pneumonia
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Use thermometer to identify sick calves
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Early scours detection and intervention
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Early pneumonia detection and intervention
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Early (low stress) dehorning
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Use of laboratory for pathogen diagnosis
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Feeding
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Good colostrum collection and storage
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Colostrum free of blood, debris & mastitis
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10% of Body Weight of colostrum with 2 hours
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Clean water and starter buckets by 3 days
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Clean milk feeding bottles, buckets and other equipment
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Consistent water temp and milk mix
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Regular and effective use of a colostrometer
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Colostrum thawing and preparation for feeding
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Weather adjusted feeding rates
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Pasteurization of milk
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Consistent feeding intervals
Physical Environment
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Give stalls/huts a rest period after cleaning
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34 sq. ft. of resting area (40 in group)
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Cleaning of stalls after weaning
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Cold weather jackets
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Newborn calves placed
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Biosecurity of the calf facilities
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Calving area sanitation
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Away from disease risk
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Clean and dry bedding all the time
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High quality air quality and draft prevention
Management, Reporting & Staffing
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Birth weight of calves
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Use of current team – advisors, vet(s), nutritionist, etc.
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Conscientious caretakers
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Health record keeping
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Internal and external benchmarking
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Culling of calves
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Adequacy and skill level of people assisting with calving
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Adequacy of veterinarian involvement