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Valley Vet Supply As we head into the heart of spring calving, it is important to keep in mind calving best practices for the healthiest herd possible. “With the help of sound management decisions and good vaccination programs, we can all strive to wean every calf born live,” said Arnold Nagely, DVM, co-founder of Valley Vet Supply. Nagely practiced food animal veterinary medicine before co-founding Valley Vet Supply in 1985, alongside fellow veterinarian, Dr. Ray Shultz. As a goal to work toward, “Write down on a sticky note, ‘2021: 100% healthy calves,’” encouraged beef veterinarian W. Mark Hilton, DVM, PAS, DABVP (beef cattle practice), Veterinary Technical Consultant, Elanco Animal Health. ....
Valley Vet Supply As we head into the heart of spring calving, it is important to keep in mind calving best practices for the healthiest herd possible. “With the help of sound management decisions and good vaccination programs, we can all strive to wean every calf born live,” said Arnold Nagely, DVM, co-founder of Valley Vet Supply. Nagely practiced food animal veterinary medicine before co-founding Valley Vet Supply in 1985, alongside fellow veterinarian, Dr. Ray Shultz. As a goal to work toward, “Write down on a sticky note, ‘2021: 100% healthy calves,’” encouraged beef veterinarian W. Mark Hilton, DVM, PAS, DABVP (beef cattle practice), Veterinary Technical Consultant, Elanco Animal Health. ....
1. Prioritizing Nutrition and Body Condition Score Nutrition is the most important aspect to achieve healthy calves and a good pregnancy rate. “Having cows in great body condition score is important so that when they calve, they have the quantity and quality of colostrum calves need. A belly full of colostrum can prevent a lot of health problems calves can experience,” Dr. Hilton said. Colostrum is critically important to calf health because calves are born agammaglobulinemic, meaning they have almost no antibodies to protect them against disease. “Colostrum provides some 95% of the antibodies a calf obtains, plus a rich source of minerals, vitamins and energy – protecting newborn calves against infectious agents during the first few months of life. Colostrum can benefit overall calf health and reduce risks for calfhood diseases, increase average daily gain and more throughout a calf’s lifetime. Ensuring they receive high-quality, adequate amounts of colos ....