hutches | Ag Proud

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.

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.

Completing a calf hygiene audit

With calf mortality rates at 6% to 8% and morbidity rates at 30%, the industry is on the hunt for ways to improve these numbers. Calf hygiene audits and ATP meters are two effective ways to accomplish this.

September 15, 2023

Erica Louder

If you are consistently having problems with your calves, consider having a third party complete a calf hygiene audit and ask about using an ATP meter.

Small changes can equate to big results: How purchasing calf hutches led to better health

June 19, 2020

Julianne McCormick

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through Facebook marketplace and seeing something that catches your eye? That’s the exact way our farm found calf hutches that are now key to our operation. The farm had been tossing around the idea of switching from a modified calf barn to hutches for a while, but finding some for sale within an hour of our farm made the decision to switch fairly easy.

From the ground up: Pros and cons of various calf hutch foundations

September 5, 2019

Brandon Sowder

Houses. Relationships. Businesses. What do all three have in common? They all are built from a solid foundation, and calf hutches are no different.

Seasonality and optimal calf care

March 31, 2017

Emily De Benetti

Changing seasons and challenging seasonal extremes (cold, heat and humidity) add extra challenges for a young calf, and the caregiver’s management must be dynamic in order to provide optimal care.

Items Tagged with 'hutches'

ARTICLES

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

Calves can vote too: Preferences for hutch ventilation during summer

Completing a calf hygiene audit

Small changes can equate to big results: How purchasing calf hutches led to better health

From the ground up: Pros and cons of various calf hutch foundations

Seasonality and optimal calf care

Replacement cow prices climbed to a record-breaking high in October

3 ways you can practice effective hay management for a healthier and happier herd

Managing costs on a smaller cattle operation

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