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Q: What is happening with milk replacer and Neo-terramycin at the 2:1 ratio?

A: The FDA has changed the rules regarding NT in milk replacers.NTwill no longer be allowed at a 2:1 ratio of Neomycin to Oxytetracyline as of August 13, 2010.Until then, the FDA is allowing retailers to use up their inventory. Two options for NT at a 1:1 ratio Neomycin to Oxytetracyline have been approved: Low/feed efficiency level:To provide 0.05 -0.1 mg/lb of bodyweight daily (for increased rate of gain and improved feed efficiency). High/treatment level:To provide 10 mg/lb of bodyweight daily and feed as a treatment only for 7-14 days(for treatment of bacterial pneumonia and scours). The recommendations that I have for producers is to: Feed a Full Potential or Performance Calf Nutrition Program that meets a calf’s requirement for growth and proper immune function which is more effective than feeding a medicated milk replacer and choose a viable calf milk replacer additive option based on impact on calf performance and health. Bovatec is the option Town and Country has chosen to do because it will help with coccidiosis and clostridia. Feeding a high plane of nutrition, such as Cows Match or Amplifier Max, will provide better gain and feed efficiency than using the low/feed efficiency level of antibiotic. Although the high level of NT is an approved treatment, it will require stocking two milk replacers. Continuous feeding at the high/treatment level can lead to kidney failure and abomasitus according to Dr. Don Sockett, D.V.M., M.S., Ph.D., Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Wisconsin. If you have more questions feel free to contact me at 330-465-0659 or asprunger@tc-coop.com.

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Calving Ease from Attica Veterinary Associates

Quality Calf Care at Harvest Time (Calving East September 2010)

Summary:

1. Assign as few extra workers to provide calf care as possible. The same person to fill in is better than more people and it is easier to train that way, too.

2. Write down what the person is supposed to do – often we call these protocols.

3. Arrange work to make it easy to be consistent.

4. Make availability to provide care at a consistent hour a high priority when selecting a substitute worker.
Read More>>

Feeding Refrigerated Colostrum (Calving Ease July 2010)

Let's review the basics. Feed newborn calves colostrum as soon as possible after birth. Feed the highest quality colostrum to heifer calves. Get at least four quarts of colostrum

into the calf within the first six hours. Now, if we do not have fresh colostrum Read More>>

Solving Water Feeding Issues (Calving Ease June 2010)

Summary:

1. The best way to avoid calves gorging on water when first offered free choice is to provide access from day two. 2. Rather than depending on withholding water to get firmer manure from young calves, find out what is causing loose manure and fix the problem. Read More>>

Improving Our Handling of Colostrum (Calving Ease May 2010)
Summary: The procedures you use to harvest and handle colostrum may determine your rate of treatable scours in young calves. Bacterial contamination of colostrum is common on U.S. and Canadian dairy farms. Controlling this contamination may significantly reduce scours issues among your calves. Read More>>

Weaning Calves (Calving Ease April 2010)

There are as many opinions about the best way to wean calves as there are persons caring for calves. However, we do have some research information and field observations that

may be helpful in sorting out personal preferences from practices that actually improve calf care. Read More>>

Drying Off a Calf (Calving Ease March 2010)
Please don’t think that I have gone off the deep end in choosing this topic. In some circumstances this is a legitimate job. Normally, we think of the dam licking off the calf.

Then the calf “air dries.” That is, the environment is warm enough so that we can depend on evaporation to take care of what the dam did not remove. But, what about in weather where the environment will not supply warm enough air to do the job? Then the calf’s energy reserves are used to supply the heat. What about the times when we are trying to control dam-to-daughter transmission of disease. Johne’s disease is a good example. Doing the “drying” job is up to the care givers. Read More>>

To view past issues of Calving Ease from Attica Veterinary Associates, click here.

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