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By: Seth Shirey, DVM

While this is a simple, non in-depth overview of dairy calf rearing, it gives producers an idea of the general concepts needed to produce high quality, high producing future dairy cows. Raising dairy cows begins with simple preparation and a basic understanding of what is required of calves and what demands will be applied to them.

First, a producer must ensure that cows have an adequate pen or box stall in which to calve. Though it is common practice for beef cows to calve in the pasture un-observed, the dairy industry has on average much more value placed on the cow calf pair and often will have better facilities in which to ensure proper calving.