Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Donna Amaral-Phillips
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-7542 damaral@uky.edu
Feeding and management practices of dairy calves directly impact not only their survival, but as importantly, their future milk production. Recent studies which have followed calves through their first lactation have shown a positive relationship between early life nutrient intake and first lactation milk production. In addition, new research has shown additional benefits of proper colostrum intake on calf health. Thus, early and adequate intake of colostrum and proper nutrition after colostrum feeding (which includes calf starter, water, and adequate milk (milk replacer) are critical. To accomplish these goals, please take a few minutes to review your feeding and management practices for your dairy calves in light of the new research that illustrates their importance on calf health and future productivity.
Management concept #1: Underfeeding or overfeeding the dam does not change the calf’s birth weight.
Reason: By decreasing the nutrition of the dam, the size of the calf is not changed. Basically, the size of the calf is genetically predetermined. Studies in beef cattle have shown that underfeeding energy or protein to the dam can decrease the ability of the calf to regulate its body temperature after birth.
Thus, underfeeding the dam during the last two months of gestation can increase mortality of the calf within the first two weeks of life. Also, dams with body condition scores at 4 or greater have a higher incidence of dystocia or trouble giving birth. These calves also have higher mortality rates than those born without calving difficulty. Mineral nutrition of the dam also affects the quality of colostrum available to the calf after calving.
Bottom line —research is showing it is critical to meet the requirements of dry cows for healthy, productive calves.
Management concept #2: Hand feed calves 4 quarts of colostrum within 4 hours of birth.
Reason: Calves are born without antibodies against diseases and need to absorb the immunoglobulins found in colostrum to protect against disease. Colostral immunoglobulins (IgG) are absorbed most efficiently within the first 4 hours of life. At 12 hrs of age, absorption of antibodies is approximately one-third of the

Kentucky
January 2009
January 2009
For More Information
For More Information
Please Contact:
Please Contact:
Donna Amaral-Phillips
Donna Amaral-Phillips
University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-7542
(859) 257-7542 damaral@uky.edu damaral@uky.edu rate at birth and is essentially zero by 24 hours of age. Several studies have shown that dairy calves that suckle their dam do not receive adequate amounts of colostrum and thus do not receive adequate protection against disease.
Calves should receive 4 quarts of colostrum at the initial feeding after their birth To feed this amount to calves, patience is important since some Holstein calves may “feel full” after 3 quarts of colostrums. These calves may need to be fed using an esophageal feeder. More recent studies have shown that colostrum supplies additional immune and nutritive factors besides immunoglobulins. Feeding adequate amounts of colostrum also can improve rumen growth and health and absorption of nutrients from the small intestine. These factors result in improvements of growth in calves. Another study has shown that calves fed 4 quarts of colostrum at birth give 11% more milk their first lactation compared to the calves that were fed 2 quarts of colostrum at birth.
Management concept #3: A calf’s first meal should be colostrum not manure.
Reason: Both the cow and her calf need to be managed to insure the calf’s first meal is clean colostrum not manure-laced
Why? Contaminated colostrum can increase the incidence of diseases which cause scours and might decrease the ability of the calf to absorb immunoglobulins from colostrum. How can you decrease bacterial contamination? First and foremost, remove the calf from the cow immediately after the calf has been cleaned. You want to avoid the calf getting “a manure meal” from the calving environment, dirty teats or dirty legs, etc. of the dam. Secondly, milk the cow in clean equipment and wash the cow as if you were going to drink the colostrum. To quickly cool colostrum, place clean pop/soft drink bottles with frozen water in the milk bucket. Refrigerate or freeze colostrum immediately. If colostrum is fed fresh (refrigerated), feed within
2 days. Pasteurization of colostrum (60 degrees C for 60 minutes) may also help reduce the bacterial load.
Management concept #4: Calves need warm, draft-free housing.
Reason: Calves in the first week of life spend 80% of the day lying down. The time spent lying down only deceases to 75% in week 2 of life. Thus, the housing environment where calves lay

Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Donna Amaral-Phillips
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-7542 damaral@uky.edu down is critical to their survival. Newborn calves have very little body fat and consequently their comfort zone is between 50

F and 78
 F. By a month of age, a calf’s comfort zone widens and is between 32

F and 73

F. Thus, during cooler temperatures baby calves need additional milk for energy and need to be bedded with straw. Straw allows the calf to “nest” into the straw and stay warm. Studies have shown that nesting scores of 3 where the calf’s legs are covered by the straw decrease the incidence of respiratory disease. During the summer when temperatures are greater than 80

F, shade cloth over calf hutches can help modulate heat stress and improve the immunity of calves.
Management concept #5: By three days of age, calves should be fed a small amount of calf starter and free-choice water in addition to their appropriate amount of milk or milk replacer.
Reason for providing calf starter: Calves only eat about 1/10 th of a pound of starter the first couple weeks of life, but this small amount is important in rumen development. Studies have shown that more rumen development occurs when starters are textured versus pelleted or ground. Holstein calves should be weaned when they are eating 2 lbs of starter for 3 days in a row.
Reason for providing free-choice, clean water: Providing clean water year round is important for rumen development. Calves provided with water gain 33% more and have less scours. Water needs to be provided separately from milk.
Reason for not feeding hay until the calf is at least 2 months of age: Feeding hay to calves before they are consuming 5 lbs of calf starter decreases rumen development. Digestion of starter in the calf’s rumen helps develop the rumen papillae that absorb the VFA’s that supply energy to the calf. Calves have only a limited ability to digest forages.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Jack McAllister.
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-7540 amcallis@uky.edu
The doubling of milk production per cow in the US in the last 50 years did not happen by chance. Research data since the use of
AI in dairy herds enrolled in the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program clearly shows that selection for genetic merit for milk yield and the positive environment for feeding and husbandry are about equally responsible for this improvement in milk production.
The dairy industry is now in a position to take another big genetic step forward thanks to new genetic technology which has become available to it in the last 5 years. The technology, called genomics, has allowed researchers to identify differences at about 55,000 sites in the genetic material or DNA of dairy bulls.
The DNA of over 13,000 dairy bulls has been characterized to identify which basic subunit of DNA or nucleotide base pair was at these sites.
In the DNA of dairy cattle, each animal has 29 pairs of chromosomes plus a pair of sex chromosomes. One chromosome of each pair is inherited from their dam and the other from their sire. These nucleotide base pairs at each of the sites investigated can be of one of two types. At each of these sites, an animal can have either a pair of one type from both parents, a pair of the other type from both parents or a pair of one type from one parent and the other type from the other parent. The sites, where differences have been identified in the dairy population, are known as single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNP’s). Using this information along with data on the traits in the
Lifetime Net Merit index (NM$) and multiple generation pedigrees, researchers have been able to estimate associations of these SNP’s with certain traits that are a part of the NM$ index as well as the NM$ index itself.
Traditionally, in our genetic evaluations we have used parent and ancestor information along with individual and progeny information to predict the transmitting abilities of bulls and cows.

amcallis@uky.edu
With the new SNP data on bulls, we now have more information to use to make these predictions. Having more information to use in making these genetic predictions will increase their reliability. For young bulls with no progeny, we have only data on their parents and ancestors to predict the young bull’s transmitting ability. A recent study by USDA scientists shows that there is a very significant gain in reliability when the genomic data is added to the other data already collected and used in the current genetic evaluations. The data below, from the USDA study, gives the reliability gain for several yield traits and NM$ for young bulls compared to a reliability of the parent average of about 35%.
Reliability gain for young bulls above parent average reliability of ~ 35% for Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss bulls.
Trait
Net Merit
(NM$)
Holstein
23
Jersey
9
Brown Swiss
3
Milk
Fat
Protein
Fat %
Protein %
23
33
22
43
34
11
15
4
41
29
0
5
1
10
5
Source: Paul VanRaden, Genomic History and Genetic
Principles. A Centennial Celebration of the Animal Improvement
Programs Laboratory. October 28, 2008. Linthicum, MD.
How this information will be used in the new genetic evaluations: The new genomic evaluations will be published for the first time in January, 2009. Use of the genomics technology and the enhanced genetic evaluations offers potential to radically change dairy cattle selection. Currently, the primary avenues for genetic improvement in an AI bred dairy population are through the selection of the sires and dams of young bulls and the selection of proven sires from among progeny-tested young bulls. The use of genomics data in conjunction with the

Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Jack McAllister.
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-7540 amcallis@uky.edu
traditional phenotypic data used in national genetic evaluations could permit more accurate identification of superior young sires and the selection, at a much earlier age, of superior bulls as the sires of the next generation of young sires. The latter choice could dramatically reduce the interval between generations and as a result significantly increase the rate of genetic improvement.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Jeffrey Bewley
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-7543 jeffrey.bewley@uky.edu
In November 2008, five University of Kentucky students participated in the 2008 Southern Dairy Challenge in Statesville, NC. The Dairy
Challenge provides an opportunity for students to evaluate all facets of a dairy operation (nutrition, facilities, herd health, reproduction, genetics, milk quality, animal well-being and financials) and present strengths, weakness, and improvement recommendations to a panel of judges. These students represented UK with class and poise and demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the dairy industry. Dr. Amaral-
Phillips and Dr. Jeffrey Bewley coached the team. This group will participate in the National Dairy Challenge in Syracuse, NY next spring as a UK team. At the regional competitions, students participate on composite teams with students from other universities. The students who participated were: Andy Mains-Platinum 1st Place, Keegan Gay-
Platinum 2nd Place, Marlene Tremblay-Gold, Randi Black-Gold, and
Nancy Chenault-Gold.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Larissa H. Tucker
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-5986
Larissa.tucker@uky.edu
The Kentucky 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl team participated in the North American Invitational 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl held
November 7 & 8, 2008. The team was from Barren County and earned the right to participate in this event by winning the state
4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest held earlier this year. The team members were: Brandon Poynter, Seth Forman, Trevor Napier, and Nikki Komar. The team was accompanied to the contest by
Brenda Komar. Brenda, as well as, Carol and Skyler DeGroft coached the team and helped them prepare for the competition.
The North American Invitational 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl allows youth to showcase their knowledge of the dairy industry and agriculture by answering written and verbal questions about the industry. This marked the 29 th year for the 4-H Dairy Quiz
Bowl. This year there were twenty teams from all across the country who competed in the event.
Congratulations to the Kentucky 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl team for their participation in the NAILE Invitational 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl contest. Pictured above are: Brenda Komar, Brandon Poynter,
Seth Forman, Trevor Napier and Nikki Komar.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

Kentucky
Dairy Notes
January 2009
For More Information
Please Contact:
Larissa H. Tucker
University of Kentucky
(859) 257-5986
Larissa.tucker@uky.edu
The second annual Kentucky Dairy Partners Meeting will be held March 3 & 4, 2009. This event will be held at the Cave City
Convention Center again this year. Registration will be $25 per person and all registrations will be taken at the door. Dairy farmers do receive free registration courtesy of the Kentucky
Dairy Development Council.
There will be exhibits and lots more for everyone involved or interested in the dairy industry. This event is brought to you by the Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Kentucky American
Dairy Association/SUDIA, Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the University of Kentucky. Please watch for more information about this dairy event.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.