Data from calf studies conducted over the past 20 yr has shown that preweaning nutrient intake, from milk or milk replacer, can have profound effects on development of the calf that enhance first lactation and lifetime productivity. Many of the studies show positive but not significant effects of preweaning nutrition on long-term productivity, primarily due to a lack of power, usually due to in...

BACKGROUND The temporal sensitivity of the surveillance system (TemSSe) for Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) in Danish dairy herds was evaluated. Currently, the Danish antibody blocking ELISA is used to test quarterly bulk tank milk (BTM). To optimize the surveillance system as an early warning system, we considered the possibility of using the SVANOVIR ELISA, as this test has been shown to detect B...

Retrospective data from Sebele Dairy Farm were analysed for reproductive performance of Friesian/Holstein cows. Three hundred records from 1989 to 1995 were used. The herd was zero grazed and the data was analysed for age at first calving (AFC), calf birth weights (BW), calving interval (CI), days open (DO), calving rate (CR), reproductive wastage (RW) and calving difficulty (CD); dystocia, aft...

The Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture, funded a special project to approach development of extension materials for dairy farmers by systems analysis. Agricultural engineers created video tapes and publications on manure, feed handling, calf housing, and milking subsystems. Dairy scientists created slide-tapes and publications on controlling feed losses during harvest, s...

1. An in vitro preparation was used to measure rates of oxygen consumption, Na+, K+-ATPase-dependent respiration. [14C]phenylalanine incorporation and tyrosine release of skeletal (sternomandibularis) muscle from 10-21-d-old (three) and 7-month dairy (three) calves and control (CDM; four) and extreme double-muscled (EDM; two) calves. 2. Rates of oxygen consumption was greatest (P less than 0.00...

Conventional dairy farming practices usually involve early separation of calves from their dams. Cow-calf contact (CCC) systems may offer an alternative rearing solution that allows for the expression natural behaviours, such as suckling and bonding. However, literature exploring effects CCC on lying behaviours lactating cows is limited. Thus, aims this study were to assess: (1) with without ac...

Development of the dairy calf gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its associated microbiota are essential for survival and milk production, as this community is responsible for converting plant-based feeds into accessible nutrients. However, little is known regarding the establishment of microbes in the calf GIT. Here, we measured fecal-associated bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities of dai...