AGRICULTURE - Dairy and Livestock

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:

• 2009 Raising Quality Dairy Heifers
• 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 "Start 'em Right...Raise 'em Right" Calf Management Seminars (Held annually each Fall)
• Eastern Wisconsin Dairy Team’s “Raising Quality Dairy Replacements” Seminars (Held annually each February)

Materials and Resources:

Cost of Raising Heifers Resources & Tools

• Cost of Raising Heifers-2007 ICPA Report (26 pages, 171 KB)
• Cost of Raising Heifers Fact Sheet (2 pages, 53 KB)
• Real Herds Real Heifers- The Cost of Raising Calves - Presented at the 2008 Dairy Calf & Heifer Association Profit Symposium, Sioux Falls, SD, & Lansing, MI (63 pages, 1,212 KB)
• Real Herds Real Heifers- The Cost of Raisin' Today's Dairy Heifer - Presented at the 2008 Dairy Calf & Heifer Association Profit Symposium, Sioux Falls, SD & Lansing, MI) (61 pages, 816 KB)
• Raising Healthy Dairy Calves While Keeping Cost Low - Presented by UW-Extension Kewaunee County Agriculture Agent Aerica Opatik at the 2008 "Start 'em Right. . . Raise 'em Right" Calf Management Seminar (31 pages, 65,380KB)
• Hoard's Dairyman Magazine - "Real Herds - Real Heifers' Series
  • "Caring for calves an expensive business", January 10, 2008 (1 page, 134 KB)
  • "Feed expenses eat heifer raising budgets", January 25, 2008 (1 page, 176 KB)
  • "There's nothing equal when raising calves", February 10, 2008 (1 page, 193 KB)
  • "Big spread exists on hours needed to raise calves", February 25, 2008 (1 page, 156 KB)
  • "In just nine years. . . heifer raising costs jumped over 50 percent", March 10, 2008 (1 page, 185 KB)
  • "Options exist to reduce expenses", March 25, 2008 (1 page, 183 KB)
• Dairy Calf Enterprise Budget and Cost of Production Analyzer and Simulator - Developed by Dr. Gregg Hadley, UW-Extension Farm Financial Management Specialist (35 KB)
• Dairy Heifer Enterprise Budget Analyzer and Simulator - Developed by Dr. Gregg Hadley, UW-Extension Farm Financial Management Specialist (35 KB)

Fact Sheets and Articles

• "Ideal Wisconsin Calf Pen" (2 pages, 106 KB)
• Diagrams of the "Ideal Wisconsin Calf Pen" (5 pages, 74 KB)
• "Improving Calf Barn Ventilation With a Bit of Fresh Air" Positive Pressure Ventilation Ducts for Nursery Calf Barns (2 pages, 162 KB)
• "Mechanical Ventilation for Individual Pen Calf Barns Calculator" - Developed by UW-Extension Farmstead Engineering Specialist Brian Holmes (36 KB)
• Optimizing Calf Respiratory Health(2 pages, 134 KB)
• "Calf care affects herd's later value", Wisconsin Agriculturalist, February 2007 (1 page, 585 KB)
• "Is Typhoid Mary in your herd?", Wisconsin Agriculturalist, October 2007 (1 page, 649 KB)

Presentations

• Optimizing Calf Health - Presented at the 2009 World Dairy Expo International Shortcourse (77 pages, 9,442 KB)
• Optimizing Calf Health - Spanish - Presented at the 2009 World Dairy Expo International Shortcourse (77 pages, 9,216 KB)
• Developing the Rumen Developing the Heifer( 25 pages, 2,555 KB)
• Observations of Custom Heifer Raisers by WI Dairy Producers - Presented at the 2007 UW-Extension Raising Quality Dairy Replacements Seminar, Fond du Lac & Green Bay (30 pages, 2,554 KB)
• Start Em Right..Raise Em Right Calf Management - Presented at 2007 World Dairy Expo International Dairy Short Course (45 pages, 3,339 KB)
• Start Em Right..Raise Em Right Calf Management - Spanish - Presented at 2007 World Dairy Expo International Dairy Short Course (45 pages, 3,339 KB)(44 pages, 3,525 KB)
• 2008 "Start 'em Right...Raise 'em Right" Calf Management Meeting
  • Calf Ventilation - A Breath of Fresh Air - Presented by UW-Extension Specialist Brian Holmes (11 pages, 1,019 KB)
  • Dairy Calf Pneumonia: Problem and Perspective - Presented by Dr. Sheila McGuirk, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (39 pages, 4,238 KB)
  • Managing the High Risk Calf - Presented by Dr. Sheila McGuirk, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (48 pages, 8,525 KB)
• 2009 UW-Extension "Raising Quality Dairy Heifers" Seminar
  • Reproductive Management of Dairy Heifers - Presented by UW-Extension Dairy Reproductive Specialist Dr. Paul Fricke (19 pages, 971 KB)
  • Keeping Heifer Raising Profit Margins Profitable - Presented by UW-Extension Farm Financial Management Specialist Dr. Gregg Hadley (8 pages, 176 KB)
  • Smooth Transitions: Feeding Heifers for a Smooth Transition into Lactation - Presented by University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Nutritionist Dr. Noah Litherland (14 pages, 599 KB)
  • Caring for the Pre-fresh Heifers: Vaccination and Care Strategies from the Womb to the Parlor - Presented by Dairyland Veterinary Service Veterinarian Dr. Phil Pearson (6 pages, 61 KB)
  • Cattle Handling Options for Heifers - Presented by UW-Extension Kewaunee County Agriculture Agent Aerica Opatik (6 pages, 680 KB)
• "Ventilating Calf Barns in Winter: Designing Calf Facilities to Enhance Air Quality for the Calf" - Developed by Dr. Dave Kammel, UW-Extension Dairy Engineer (26 pages, 2,495 KB)

Other Resources:

• University of Wisconsin Extension-Heifer Management
• University of Minnesota Extension-Calf Management
• 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)

STAFF

If you have any questions regarding Agriculture Dairy & Livestock in Sheboygan County, please contact:

Tina Kohlman - Dairy & Livestock Agent
Sheboygan County - UW Extension
5 University Drive
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Phone: 920-459-5900
Fax: 920-459-5901
Email: tina.kohlman@ces.uwex.edu