Dairy Heifer Management
Raising dairy replacement animals is a challenging job in that heifer raisers are responsible for the milking herd’s future-the next generation of milk cows. The cost of raising dairy calves and replacement heifers is the second highest expenditure on the farm, behind feed costs. It is a major component in making a dairy operation profitable, but yet sometimes is neglected as a profit center for the farm since no direct income is generated by the replacement herd. Programs and educational materials to help improve on-farm profitability through the replacement are available in the following areas:
Programs and Opportunities:
- Dairy Replacements’ Cost of Production Analysis
- Heifer Growers’ Discussion Groups
- Dairy Workers’ Training-Calf Management Skills (offered in English & Spanish)
- Dairy & Heifer Best Management Practices
- Heifer Facilities & Ventilation
- Eastern Wisconsin Dairy Team’s “Raising Quality Dairy Replacements” Seminars (Held annually each February)
Materials and Resources:
Cost of Raising Heifers Resources & Tools
Facilities, Housing & Ventilation
- “Ideal Wisconsin Calf Pen” (PDF, 2 pages, 73 KB)
- Diagrams of the “Ideal Wisconsin Calf Pen” (PDF, 5 pages, 106 KB)
- Positive Pressure Ventilation Ducts for Nursery Calf Barns (PDF, 2 pages, 161 KB)
- “Mechanical Ventilation for Individual Pen Calf Barns Calculator” (PDF, 1 page 54 KB)– Developed by UW-Extension Farmstead Engineering Specialist Brian Holmes
- Calf Ventilation – A Breath of Fresh Air (PDF, 11 pages, 1018 KB) – Presented by UW-Extension Specialist Brian Holmes
- “Ventilating Calf Barns in Winter: Designing Calf Facilities to Enhance Air Quality for the Calf” (PDF, 26 pages, 2 MB)– Developed by Dr. Dave Kammel, UW-Extension Dairy Engineer
Herd Health & Management
- Optimizing Calf Repiratory Health (PDF, 2 pages, 134 KB)
- “Calf care affects herd’s later value” (PDF, 1 page, 584 KB), Wisconsin Agriculturalist, February 2007
- “Is Typhoid Mary in your herd?” (PDF, 1 page, 649 KB), Wisconsin Agriculturalist, October 2007
- Optimizing Calf Health (PDF, 77 pages, 9 MB)– Presented at the 2009 World Dairy Expo International Shortcourse
- Optimizing Calf Health – Spanish (PDF, 77 pages, 9 MB) – Presented at the 2009 World Dairy Expo International Shortcourse
- Developing the Rumen Developing the Heifer (PDF, 25 pages, 2 MB)
- Observations of Custom Heifer Raisers by WI Dairy Producers (PDF, 30 pages, 2 MB)– Presented at the 2007 UW-Extension Raising Quality Dairy Replacements Seminar, Fond du Lac & Green Bay
- Dairy Calf Pneumonia: Problem and Perspective (PDF, 39 pages, 4 MB) – Presented by Dr. Sheila McGuirk, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine
- Managing the High Risk Calf (PDF, 48 pages, 8 MB)– Presented by Dr. Sheila McGuirk, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine
- Reproductive Management of Dairy Heifers (PDF, 19 pages, 971 KB) – Presented by UW-Extension Dairy Reproductive Specialist Dr. Paul Fricke
- Smooth Transitions: Feeding Heifers for a Smooth Transition into Lactation (PDF, 14 pages, 598 KB) – Presented by University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Nutritionist Dr. Noah Litherland
- Caring for the Pre-fresh Heifers: Vaccination and Care Strategies from the Womb to the Parlor (PDF, 6 pages, 61 KB) – Presented by Dairyland Veterinary Service Veterinarian Dr. Phil Pearson
- Cattle Handling Options for Heifers (PDF, 6 pages, 679 KB) – Presented by UW-Extension Kewaunee County Agriculture Agent Aerica Opatik
Other Resources:
- University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine Calf Management Resources
- University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine Calf Housing Ventilation
- Dairy Calf and Heifer Association
- Calving Ease
- Calf Notes
- Dairy Herd Management (click on Calf & Heifer Resource Center)
