Calf Housing - Articles

Are calf hutches still the ‘gold’ standard?

December 5, 2024

For many years, the calf hutch has been considered the “gold” standard. Is it time to reevaluate this standard? Let’s consider the benefits and challenges of the calf hutch system compared to other alternatives.

Getting cozy: Pair-housing calves as a potential solution to cold stress

Pair-housing calves may help reduce cold stress during winter in outdoor hutches while also improving calf welfare with social contact.

September 11, 2024

Kim Reuscher and Jennifer Van Os

A less-studied strategy to help calves cope with cold stress could be through having a companion. Pair or group housing of calves has become a popular topic of discussion over the past few decades. We conducted a study to measure if pair-housing calves in a dual hutch system could help reduce the effects of cold stress during winter. Read about the study's results.

The weather forecast for today is hot and cold: Tips for nurturing calves in fluctuating weather

While pretty much no one likes it when the weather turns bipolar, calves find it especially challenging. Whether the calf is facing heat or cold, minimizing stressors is essential to maximizing calf performance.

September 2, 2024

Sarah Eck

Have you ever found yourself begging Mother Nature to give you a break? For example, this past winter, Wisconsin experienced several 50-degree temperature swings in one day. It was nice and sunny one day, and then 12 hours later, chilly and damp. Those fluctuations can make calves more vulnerable to scours and respiratory illnesses.

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4 tips to foster a positive impact on calf stress

Preventative measures like good nutrition, handling practices, calf comfort and observation protocols are key for keeping calves healthy while they're stressed.

July 17, 2024

Curt Vlietstra

When calves face stress, it often threatens their respiratory health. Mitigating risk, including stress management, is a key component of a larger bovine respiratory disease (BRD) battle plan, which also includes building immunity and managing infection.

Can your calves pass these tests?

While every operation is different, key tests and measurements can indicate a farm’s ability to raise calves well. These include passive transfer, feeding hygiene, housing cleanliness and comfort, and a calf’s growth rate and health markers.

May 8, 2024

Jonathan Townsend

In the realm of calf raising, the adage holds true: "You can't manage what you can't measure." From birth to weaning, a variety of tests and measurements can help you evaluate the success of your calf-raising protocols, provide insights into calf health and highlight areas for improvement.

Calves can vote too: Preferences for hutch ventilation during summer

Study shows that by 6 weeks old, calves show a significant preference for ventilated hutches, and ventilated hutches can help reduce heat stress. Additionally, pair-housed calves spent 80% of their time together.

May 6, 2024

Kim Reuscher and Jennifer Van Os

A potential consequence of the dual hutch housing system is that when calves choose to share a hutch, this could increase the risk of heat stress during warm weather. We conducted a study at the University of Wisconsin – Madison to see if this concern is warranted and to measure how calves use hutch ventilation.

Calves under the sun: Navigating heat stress challenges

Heat stress can have lifelong negative impacts on calf health and performance. Shade, air flow, the THI chart and electrolytes are all essential tools for mitigating this issue.

May 1, 2024

Rodrigo Garcia

As the temperatures soar, managing heat stress in dairy and beef calves becomes key for ensuring the health and future productivity of the herd. Heat stress not only affects the immediate well-being of the animals but can also have long-term implications for their growth and development.

Ventilating repurposed structures for calf housing

Existing barns can often be retrofitted into excellent calf housing. However, care must be taken to ensure proper ventilation, pen layout and fresh-air distribution to promote good calf health and performance.

February 15, 2024

Alex Austin

Building a new calf-raising facility is an expensive investment and not always an option. Converting an existing structure, whether it’s a pole shed or an old stanchion barn, to house and raise calves can be a great option – if proper ventilation practices are followed.

Maximize the effectiveness of calf barn ventilation with computerized calculations

What if a farm could run multiple scenarios with barn layout to find their perfect design before pouring a drop of concrete or driving a single screw? Using new software called computational fluid dynamics, now they can.

January 19, 2024

Nele Leiterman

In this article, we investigate how advanced airflow software, commonly referred to as computational fluid dynamics or CFD, and 3D visualization software can help when planning a new calf facility.