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2011 Calf-ETERIA Study

2011 Calf-ETERIA Study. Benchmarking Ontario dairy calf and heifer raising practices. Dairy Farmers of Ontario Dairy Research Communication Extension Event February 21, 2012. Presentation Outline . What is Calf-ETERIA? About the project Calf and Heifer Management Survey Results

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2011 Calf-ETERIA Study

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  1. 2011 Calf-ETERIA Study Benchmarking Ontario dairy calf and heifer raising practices Dairy Farmers of Ontario Dairy Research Communication Extension Event February 21, 2012

  2. Presentation Outline • What is Calf-ETERIA? • About the project • Calf and Heifer Management Survey • Results • Next Steps

  3. Calf-ETERIA • Using CALF health and productivity as a template for an Evaluation of Translation and Extension of Research Information for Agriculture • A University of Guelph-OMAFRA Knowledge Translation and Transfer funded project

  4. Project Objectives • Benchmark current dairy calf and heifer management practices • Develop approaches to undertaking KTT initiatives to improve awarenessand encourage adoption of, known optimal management techniques to increase economic performance and health • Evaluate and quantify both the animal health and economic performance subsequent to their initial benchmark • Disseminate case-study based benefits of optimal management systems to demonstrate both financial and animal health improvements to all Ontario dairy producers through producer meetings and web-based media

  5. 3 KTT Approaches • Calf and Heifer management clubs • Including interaction with veterinarians • Web-based KTT for BMP’s for calves & heifers • Control Group

  6. Expected Benefits and Impacts Benefits Ontario dairy producers from two key perspectives: • Economically – through reduced costs attributed to death losses, animal morbidity and associated treatment costs and reduction in compromised lifetime milk production losses, as a result of health problems encountered as a calf • Improved welfare of dairy calves and heifers - through increased survival rates and improved health-status

  7. Benchmark current calf & heifer management • Ontario Calf and Heifer Management Survey • 3,145 surveys were mailed out to dairy producers on DHI • The survey was also available online • 921 surveys were completed and returned by mail • 43 surveys were completed online • 30% response

  8. Status of Survey

  9. Distribution of Herd Size

  10. Calf Care **N=948** **51.6% male, 21.5% female, 26.9% both**

  11. Cost of Labour • Employee wages, for calf care, ranged from $5 /hour up to $25 /hour, depending on the farm

  12. Where are Calves normally Born?

  13. Video Surveillance Use • 75 / 930 producers indicated that video surveillance is currently used to monitor cows in the calving area • Herd sizes of these 75 ranged from 28 cows up to 550 cows

  14. Calving Assistance • On average, how often was assistance required during a calving, in the past year? • Never  0.4% • Less than 10%  27% • 10 – 20%  41% • More than 20% of calvings  23.6% • Exact percentage  7.4% • Range: 1% - 98%

  15. Disinfecting Navels • Is it routine practice to disinfect the navel of each newborn calf? • YES  38% • NO  62% http://www.progressivedairy.com/features/2007/0107/0107

  16. Products administered shortly after Birth **N=950 N.B. – Percentages do not add up to 100%

  17. Amount of Colostrum Fed

  18. Colostrum Quality • How many producers are checking colostrum quality? • 281/931  30% • How are they checking it? • Colour and/or consistency  72%(265/370) • Volume  19% (70/370) • Colostrometer 6% (23/370) • Refractometer  0.2% (1/370) • Laboratory  3% (11/370)

  19. Milk Feeding

  20. Milk Feeding • How are calves being fed? • Bucket  37% (332/890) • Milk Bar  3% (22/890) • Nurse Bottle  29% (262/890) • Robot Milk Feeder  3% (27/890) • Other Free-Access feeding system  1% (12/890) • Combination of 2 or more  26% (235/890)

  21. Milk Feeding • How much is being fed daily in Week 1?

  22. Milk Feeding • How much is being fed daily in Week 4?

  23. Water • At what age is fresh water offered to calves? • 0 – 5 days  23% (215/920) • 5 – 10 days  29%(268/920) • More than 10 days  30%(280/920) • Not until after weaning  17% (157/920)

  24. Grain • At what age is grain/starter introduced to calves? • 0 – 5 days 32% (299/940) • 5 – 10 days  46%(430/940) • 11 – 20 days  17%(162/940) • More than 20 days of age  5% (49/940) • Do calves have free-choice access to grain/starter? • 87%  YES

  25. Introduction of Hay • When are calves normally introduced to hay? • Less than 2 weeks of age  155 • 2 – 4 weeks of age  195 • 4 – 6 weeks of age  190 • After weaning  20

  26. Standard Operating Procedures • Are SOP’s used for routine calf management procedures? • Yes, all procedures  18% (167/912) • Yes, only disease and treatment info  13% (123/912) • No  68% (622/912)

  27. Weaning Age

  28. Vaccination • Are calves vaccinated for respiratory disease? • 47 % are vaccinating calves against respiratory disease

  29. Rations for Heifers • What type of ration are heifers fed? • Components  52% (455/868) • Top-dressed  22% (190/868) • TMR 26% (223/868)

  30. Age at First Breeding

  31. Cost of Raising a Heifer • How much does it cost?

  32. Project Status • Management clubs and online modules are underway • Continue to collect data through the summer • DHI information • Follow-up questions

  33. Thank You

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