48 Like Us on Facebook: BetterFarmingON Better Farming | January 2024 Livestock OntarioFarmlandTrust ontariofarmlandtrust Questions? Call: 519-781-3276 Save the Date for our Annual Farmland Forum! Thursday, March 21, 2024 Elora, ON & Online More info coming soon! Krisztian Varsa, Georgia Farms Fund Program Manager, Conservation Fund Visit ontariofarmlandtrust.ca to register for this and other webinars in the series. A donation upon registration is welcome so that we can continue to offer sessions like these. LAND ACCESS PROGRAMS: Supporting The Next Generation of Farmers In this session, we learn about two different organizations’ unique approaches to providing land access for farmers. Join the Ontario Farmland Trust in a series of free online webinars to explore pressures on farmland, learn about solutions, and share innovative ideas! Stacy Brenner Senior Policy Advisor, Main Farmland Trust Tuesday, January 16, 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm Scan to Register With special thanks to Ken & Debbie Rubin Public Interest Advocacy Fund – OCF OntarioFarmlandTrust ontariofarmlandtrust Questions? Call: 519-781-3276 Save the Date for our Annual March 21, 2024 Elora, ON & Online More info coming soon! Krisztian Varsa, Georgia Farms Fund Program Manager, Conservation Fund Visit ontariofarmlandtrust.ca to register for this and other webinars in the series. A donation upon registration is welcome so that we can continue to offer sessions like these. Supporting The Next Generation of Farmers In this session, we learn about two different organizations’ unique approaches to providing land access for farmers. Join the Ontario Farmland Trust in a series of free online webinars to explore pressures on farmland, learn about solutions, and share innovative ideas! Stacy Brenner Senior Policy Advisor, Main Farmland Trust Tuesday, January 16, 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm Scan to Register With special thanks to Ken & Debbie Rubin Public Interest Advocacy Fund – OCF lostrum quality, which provides a relative estimate of the concentration of the antibody IgG. “A Brix refractometer is commonly used in dairy herds, but we looked at it in beef,” says Windeyer. “The target for colostrum is 200 grams per litre of IgG. A Brix measurement of 24 per cent or lower is not great and would be less than 100 grams per litre. It might need to be topped up with a replacer. “A Brix reading of 24 per cent or more is at or above average. If I have a cow that’s making a lot of that, I might freeze it for other calves.” A good first meal of colostrum sets the basis for a healthy calf, but there are more steps producers should take in the first few months after calving to maintain that health. Managing calves Facilities will vary on each farm, but the principles for pathogen prevention can be applied to any operation. “Dilution is the solution to pollution,” says Windeyer. “Focus on good pasture or barn management, with lots of clean, dry pasture and bedding. Whatever you can use to keep calves on clean bedding will do the best to keep them healthy.” Ribey says she prioritizes keeping calves grouped by age and avoiding crowding. She also maintains a consistent vaccine program for cows and calves. The cows get a scour vaccine before calving, and the calves get First Defense for scours at birth, and an injection of Dystosel (vitamin E and selenium) and an intranasal administration of the Inforce 3 respiratory vaccine in the first 24 hours after birth. The calves are also weighed and tagged at this time. “We try to do as much prevention as we can,” says Ribey. Ribey also checks her calves multiple times a day for signs of sickness. “We are out there three or four times a day watching those calves for dirty bums, cows with full udders, those sorts of things,” says Ribey, noting that a cow with a full udder or calves bawling could indicate illness and decreased milk intake. “You get pretty used to calf behaviour and what they are doing if you’re checking a few times a day.” The Beef Cattle Research Council also recommends minimizing confinement to allow calves to escape contaminated areas. It is also valuable to have different locations for overwintering cows and calving to avoid excess pathogen buildup. Tighter calving periods and grouping calves by age are also tips to keep calves healthier. Good preparation before calving and vigilance during and after calving season will help you achieve a healthier calf crop this year. BF
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