Know your calves to catch illnesses early
Since calves are highly susceptible to disease, farmers should be using both physical and behavioral indicators to help identify a potential illness. Monitoring calves frequently for changes helps for early intervention and improves the long-term outcomes.
“In addition to physiological kinds of disease, calves will also exhibit a range of behavioral changes when they’re ill,” said Alycia Drwencke, Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Dairy Specialist. “Oftentimes these behavioral changes can be identified earlier than many of physical signs they can present, so it really makes it extremely important to pay close attention to what they’re doing, to know if they’re going to deviate from normal.”