There was a lot to discover at the 2024 World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, as companies from all across the globe showcased new innovative offerings for dairy operations and paid homage to technologies of the past. Continue reading to see what Progressive Dairy editors found while attending this year’s event.

Supplementing calves with colostrum after the first day of life can reduce the duration of diarrhea and possibly improve survival rates during high disease pressures. This article details the benefits of colostrum for older calves and how it can be integrated into calf management plans.

This article from researchers from Cornell University and Germany describes the individual, seasonal and herd-level variability of colostrum production and summarizes the association between animal individual factors – such as parity, sex of the calf, calf birthweight, as well as indicators of the cow’s metabolic status – and the yield and composition of colostrum.

Effective probiotics cost pennies per day and provide significant benefits throughout the entire life cycle of an animal.

In the ever-evolving landscape of calf rearing, maintaining a consistent approach is key to ensuring the health and productivity of your herd. Just as human babies thrive on routine, calves benefit from a structured feeding schedule and care regimen. 

Rumen health is the cornerstone of a successful cow-calf operation, impacting calf health, maternal performance, feed utilization and, ultimately, economic profitability.