Raising Strong Calves: The Foundation of Herd Health

Watching a new calf struggle to thrive in its first few weeks can be a worrying time for any livestock owner. You’ve invested time, resources, and hope into your herd, and seeing a vulnerable young life falter is stressful. Every healthy herd starts with healthy calves, but ensuring that early success means more than just basic feeding. It involves crucial, foundational care- from the initial colostrum intake to providing a clean, warm environment. This early attention lays the groundwork for lifelong vitality, directly impacting everything from weight gain to disease resistance. Understanding the critical needs during the first few weeks of a calf’s life is where true herd success begins.

At Lewiston Veterinary Clinic, our veterinarians and mobile units work side-by-side with producers to strengthen every stage of herd health. From preventive calf exams to herd health and reproductive management, we help ensure that each calf gets the best possible start. Our deep agricultural roots and commitment to community make us a trusted partner in the region for both small and large-scale operations.

Building a Foundation for Calf Health

The first days of life shape the entire future of a calf’s productivity. From the moment they take their first steps, calves depend on careful attention to nutrition, warmth, and biosecurity to thrive. Early-life calf management affects everything from weight gain to immune development.

Our veterinarians perform on-farm newborn exams, ensuring each calf is breathing clearly, standing strong, and receiving adequate colostrum. Whether you manage dairy or beef operations, small adjustments in early management- such as improving bedding hygiene or adjusting feeding temperature- can have lifelong payoffs.

To set your herd on the right path, we offer customized herd health programs and bovine care plans that align with your operation’s size, breed, and production goals. Our protocols cover nutrition, housing design, vaccination, and environmental management to promote consistent performance.

Why Early Care Matters

The first hours after birth are critical. Colostrum delivers vital antibodies that form the calf’s immune defense, directly impacting long-term health and growth. Timing and quality are key- ideally, a calf should receive at least 10% of its body weight in high-quality colostrum within the first two hours of life.

At Lewiston Veterinary Clinic, our veterinarians assist with testing colostrum quality, assessing passive transfer, and developing feeding strategies that match your herd’s needs. Early immunity reduces the likelihood of common infections like scours and pneumonia, saving producers both time and resources.

We also help producers troubleshoot calving difficulties and evaluate maternal care- both key factors in ensuring newborn vigor. Our reproductive and neonatal support services are designed to help ensure healthy births and strong starts for every calf.

Understanding Passive Transfer and Immune Development

Successful passive transfer occurs when calves absorb sufficient immunoglobulins from colostrum within the first 12-24 hours of life. The intestinal wall is most permeable to these large antibody molecules during this narrow window, after which absorption capacity declines rapidly. We use refractometers and serum protein testing to verify adequate antibody levels, typically looking for total protein concentrations above 5.5 g/dL in blood serum taken at 24-48 hours of age.

Failure of passive transfer leaves calves vulnerable to septicemia, joint infections, and severe diarrhea. When colostrum quality or maternal production is questionable, we help producers establish colostrum banking protocols, including proper collection, storage, and thawing techniques to preserve antibody integrity. Frozen colostrum should be thawed gently in warm water (never microwaved) to prevent protein denaturation. Having a reliable colostrum reserve can be lifesaving during difficult calvings or when dealing with first-calf heifers who may have lower colostrum quality.

Nutrition and Feeding Practices for Healthy Growth

Calves need consistent, high-quality nutrition for proper gut development and sustained growth. Guidelines for feeding young calves emphasize steady feeding temperatures, correct milk replacer solids, and gradual weaning transitions.

In addition to proper feeding, maintaining clean bottles, nipples, and feeding buckets is essential for preventing bacterial buildup. Ensuring hydration during stress periods with electrolytes can also improve resilience. Supporting a healthy microbiome through good hygiene and probiotics plays a vital role in long-term wellness.

Our team can advise on nutritional planning and feed program adjustments based on your herd’s growth targets and seasonal needs. We also help evaluate weaning strategies, such as gradual feed transitions and bunk training, to promote smooth digestive adaptation and steady weight gain.

Optimizing Milk Replacer and Early Starter Grain Introduction

The composition and temperature of milk replacer significantly affects digestibility and growth rates. We recommend milk replacers with at least 20% protein and 20% fat for optimal development, fed at body temperature (100-105°F) to enhance palatability and prevent digestive upset. Cold milk can slow abomasal emptying and reduce nutrient absorption, while overheated milk may denature proteins.

Early introduction of high-quality starter grain (typically beginning around 3-5 days of age) stimulates rumen development and prepares calves for weaning. The goal is to have calves consuming 1.5-2 pounds of starter daily before weaning begins. We can help address common feeding challenges such as refusal to drink, slow growth rates, and digestive disturbances that can derail early development. Proper water availability is equally critical- fresh, clean water should be offered separately from milk from the first week onward to encourage rumen development and maintain hydration.

Housing, Bedding, and Sanitation

A clean, dry environment is the backbone of good calf care. Proper ventilation, deep bedding, and effective drainage reduce disease transmission and stress. Recommendations for housing and bedding for calves include maintaining dry bedding, controlling flies, and preventing overcrowding to promote respiratory health.

Our mobile team frequently helps farms optimize pen and hutch layouts, improving airflow while protecting against drafts. We also assist in developing sanitation schedules and fly control programs that fit your farm’s management style. Consistent cleaning and smart housing choices can significantly lower disease risk during critical growth phases.

Environmental comfort also influences feed intake and energy balance- well-bedded calves spend more time resting, conserving energy for growth rather than staying warm.

Recognizing and Preventing Calf Diseases

Early detection and prevention are essential to minimizing loss. Calf scours, pneumonia, and navel infections are the most common threats to young calves. Tools like the calf respiratory scoring chart help identify early signs of respiratory issues before they escalate.

At Lewiston Veterinary Clinic, we offer on-site diagnostics, including laboratory testing and health screenings, to confirm infection causes and guide treatment. Our veterinarians build vaccination programs tailored to your herd’s age groups and risk factors, ensuring that calves stay protected during vulnerable early months. We also train farm staff to recognize subtle changes in calf behavior- like reduced appetite or altered posture- so issues can be addressed before they escalate.

Managing Scours: Identifying Causes and Treatment Protocols

Calf scours can result from viral, bacterial, protozoal, or nutritional causes, each requiring different management approaches. Rotavirus, coronavirus, E. coli, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium are common culprits in the first month of life. Accurate diagnosis through fecal testing helps us determine whether antibiotics are warranted or if supportive care alone is most appropriate.

Dehydration assessment is critical in scouring calves. We teach producers to evaluate skin tent duration, eye position, and mucous membrane moisture to gauge severity. Mild cases may respond to oral electrolytes given between milk feedings, while severe dehydration requires intravenous fluid therapy. Maintaining caloric intake during scours is essential- we generally recommend continuing milk or replacer feeding unless vomiting is present, as the gut needs nutrients to heal. Environmental sanitation becomes even more crucial during scours outbreaks, with frequent pen cleaning and disinfection helping break transmission cycles.

Parasite Management in Young Calves

Internal and external parasites can quietly sap growth, weaken immune systems, and affect feed efficiency. An effective parasite management plan includes timely deworming, pasture rotation, and fecal monitoring. Strategic deworming reduces reinfection cycles, and incorporating environmental control for flies and lice minimizes disease spread across age groups.

Our veterinarians help producers design integrated parasite prevention plans that align with your land use, herd size, and seasonal cycles- keeping young calves healthy and thriving year-round. Regular fecal egg counts and strategic treatments also prevent overuse of dewormers, preserving drug efficacy for future herd generations.

Supporting Long-Term Growth and Productivity

Healthy calves become productive adults. Proper early-life management supports higher weight gain, better fertility, and improved milk or meat production. Monitoring newborn calf health through regular veterinary visits ensures growth targets are met and potential setbacks are caught early.

We encourage producers to keep records of birth weights, feed intake, vaccination dates, and weaning metrics. Tracking these details helps identify trends in herd performance, allowing for data-driven management improvements. Our bovine care programs include growth tracking and herd evaluations designed to enhance performance and profitability across all stages of development.

Setting Calves Up for a Healthy Future

Raising strong calves requires attention to every detail- timely colostrum, balanced nutrition, clean housing, disease prevention, and proactive parasite control. These efforts build the foundation for resilient animals that grow into high-performing members of your herd.

At Lewiston Veterinary Clinic, we’re more than your veterinary team- we’re your partners in herd success. Our mobile units, late-night emergency availability, and on-farm consultations ensure your animals receive expert care whenever and wherever it’s needed.

To strengthen your next generation of calves, request an appointment or contact us today. Together, we’ll keep your herd healthy, productive, and thriving for years to come.