Written by Amber Machia
The mission of the Tri-State Extension Dairy Team is to unite Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont in advancing dairy management through collaborative educational programs, addressing shared industry challenges, and fostering innovation across northern New England. Since January 2025, the team has been hosting live monthly webinars on the last Wednesday of each month from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Sessions have focused on current dairy research and program updates, including interviews, presentations, and roundtable discussions. All recorded sessions are available to watch on the UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils YouTube Channel.
In August, the Tri-State Extension Dairy Team hosted a webinar on calf and heifer management practices in New England. The session featured Dr. Glenda Pereira, University of Maine Extension, and Sarah Allen, University of New Hampshire Extension, who shared strategies to improve calf health, growth, and long-term productivity. Their discussion highlighted four critical areas that determine success: maternity management, colostrum, nutrition and feeding, and environment. The ultimate goal is to raise calves that grow steadily and enter the milking herd at two years of age.
- Maternity & Dry Period: 70% of fetal growth occurs in the final trimester of pregnancy. Minimizing stressors – especially heat stress – reduces the risk of low birthweight and poor immunity. Nutritional support during the transition period can improve calf outcomes. Farm specific transition cow vaccination programs support antibody transfer through colostrum.
- Colostrum Management – “The 3 Q’s + C”- Quantity: Feed ≥10% of calf bodyweight in colostrum.- Quality: At least 50 g/L IgG; test with a refractometer. Thaw frozen colostrum below 140°F to protect proteins.– Quickness: Feed within 2–4 hours after birth for maximum antibody absorption.- Cleanliness: Establish good protocols for sanitizing feeding equipment. Verify with an ATP meter to monitor organic matter levels on surfaces.
- Early Life Nutrition & Feeding: Pre-weaned calves should consume 10–20% of bodyweight daily. Calf starter with 18–26% crude protein promotes the fermentation process which produces volatile fatty acids, driving papillae growth and rumen development. By weaning, calves should double birthweight and eat at least 2 lbs. of starter daily.
- Environment: Calves thrive in dry, clean, well-ventilated housing. Proper bedding, airflow, and hygiene reduce pathogen load and stress, supporting health and growth.
Heifer growth targets are farm specific. Generally, heifers should be 55% of mature bodyweight at first conception and 85% of mature bodyweight at first calving.
Glenda & Sarah’s Colostrum Quality & Management Bulletin is accessible here.
To learn more about the calf and heifer management cohort project in New Hampshire and Maine and to access the full recording of this webinar and all other webinars in the series click here. Register for upcoming Tri-State Dairy Exchange webinars here.