Calf Care Mini-Series

Webinar 1: Two Heads are Better Than One: Benefits of pair or group rearing – presented by Jennifer Van Os, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist- Animal Welfare, Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin- Madison

When it comes to raising dairy calves, two – or more – heads are better than one in several ways. For the past decades, the majority of calves in the U.S. are housed singly before weaning. More and more dairy producers, however, are part of a trend toward pair or group raising. The consensus from the research is now that pairs and small groups, when managed well, can provide clear benefits. Housing milk-fed calves with at least one social partner can be a win-win-win in terms of animal welfare, calf growth performance, and consumer perception – all of which are important for the vitality and sustainability of our dairy industry.

Webinar 2: Developing a Pain Management Plan for Disbudding – presented by Sarah Adcock, Ph.D. Candidate, Center for Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science, University of California- Davis

Disbudding is a widespread practice in the dairy industry. No matter how it’s done, this procedure is painful for the calf, but steps can be taken to minimize this pain. Developing a pain management plan for disbudding benefits the calf, producer, and public relations. We will discuss the considerations involved in developing an effective plan, including the pros and cons of different disbudding tools, the age of the calf, how to give a nerve block, and options for longer-term pain relief.

The first webinar of this series will take place on on Friday, February 14th, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. CST | 1:00 p.m. EST | 11:00 a.m. MST | 10:00 a.m. PST and the second on Friday, February 28th, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. CST | 1:00 p.m. EST | 11:00 a.m. MST | 10:00 a.m. PST.

$10 DGN programming fee covers BOTH webinars (login instructions will be provided in e-mail confirmation before the webinar).

Call in, watch online OR listen when you can! We record and hold all webinars for one month for members to watch when it suits them! You must still register by the deadline below to watch this webinar live or on your own time. 

*Limited space available – register early to reserve your spot! Register by clicking here!

This mini-series is brought to you by Dr. Naylor and the webinar hosting is brought to you by Zoetis.

Dairy Girl Network Enhance offers resources to dairywomen without leaving the farm.