By Jared Schenkels, DVM
Contracted calf and heifer raising in the West has been a rising phenomenon in the last decade, with new born calves sometimes traveling across several states to their rearing site.
This production model has many advantages, including an arid climate that is neither too hot nor too cold; high elevation; abundant access to local feedstuffs; and qualified care teams that specialize in dedicated animal husbandry.
But the process of moving those babies safely and successfully requires focused effort on the part of everyone involved – the source dairies, truck drivers, and receiving crew. Some of the healthiest calves can be long-haul calves.
Achieving the best outcomes depends on:
- A solid start – Absolutely nothing can replace the lifelong protection that timely delivery of high-quality colostrum confers. This requires extremely high standards for the dairies of origin – 4 quarts of pasteurized colostrum immediately after birth, and an additional 2 quarts within 12 hours. In terms of quality, I advise a coliform count of less than 10 CFU/mL, and standard plate count (SPC) of less than 1,000 CFU/mL.
- Full bellies – Prior to shipping, I recommend feeding 4 quarts of milk replacer immediately before loading onto the truck. I prefer the nutrient density of milk replacer versus electrolytes in this feeding to pack in as many calories as possible. Often, loads of calves travel through the night and are fed immediately upon arrival the next morning, so they don’t miss a single feeding.
- A milk replacer match – A critical detail is that the milk replacer formulation calves receive upon their departure should be nearly identical to the one they are fed upon arrival. Total solids should be matched between the source farm milk replacer and calf ranch receiving formula. I believe a lot of scours problems are caused not by pathogens, but by the osmotic drag between two formulations that can happen when calves are shipped to a new location.
- A comfortable ride – Preparation of the trucks can vary depending on the season and geography of origin. But transport trucks should always be clean, sanitized, and prepared according to standard calf bedding principles of “no knees” showing. That bedding might be chopped straw in cold conditions or sawdust in warmer climates. Clean calf jackets can provide an extra layer of protection and comfort in the winter.
Trucks also should allow for ~ 3 to 4 square feet of resting space per calf, with a slightly higher stocking density in cold weather so calves can snuggle together. A potbelly semi-trailer has 8 distinct housing compartments, so it is difficult to advise hard-and-fast ventilation standards. But most drivers who transport baby calves are highly experienced at gauging the amount of air exposure needed depending on conditions, and are especially careful in ensuring calves do not get wet if the trucks travel through rain or snow. - A ready receiving crew – An army of workers and a fresh batch of warm milk replacer should be on standby when trucks arrive. This requires effective communication between truck drivers, crew leaders, and other employees. When a truck rolls in, it should ideally be completely unloaded in less than an hour, and all calves settled into their new housing and fed within the next hour. I recommend starting with a 3-quart bottle of milk replacer, followed by a 3-quart bottle of electrolytes. Using a sodium acetate-based electrolyte solution – versus bicarbonate – makes it safe to feed electrolytes in short order after the milk replacer. Then, regular milk replacer feedings should be commenced at the next scheduled feeding time.
- A “bottles only” policy – I strongly advise against ever using esophageal feeders. Every calf should be fed with a nipple bottle, even if it takes an hour to get them to finish it. I find calves learn more quickly to drink from a bottle with this approach, while avoiding costly and damaging errors that can occur with tube feeders.
I believe the success of a custom calf-rearing enterprise depends on sheer and simple animal husbandry. There are no short-cuts or “easy buttons” when it comes to raising calves, and a well-trained crew of people who really care is 100 times more valuable than any feed supplement or fancy protocol. It’s the people who make the difference for the calves.
