Zero calf mortality – is it possible?

The goal of zero mortality in the calf barn – hear from the Building the Foundation: Dairy and Veal Healthy Calf Conference (HCC)’s panel of progressive calf managers on how to turn that into reality. They’ll share tips and tricks from their years of experience in helping calves thrive.

Aaron Keunen is part of Mapleview Agri Ltd., a family-owned grain-fed veal operation and milk replacer manufacturing business. As their research coordinator and manager of their cattle division, the University of Guelph Ridgetown graduate manages 18 contract cattle feeders in Ontario, oversees sales support in Western Canada, and helps facilitate and execute research projects.

Jayne Dietrich is one of the owners of Character Dairy Genetics, a family business located near Mildmay with 80-100 calves born monthly. They raise up to 350 bottle-fed calves at a time in Wisconsin-style barns. She’s a graduate of Centralia College and the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program.

Alberta native Laura Schuurman is the primary calf manager at Joe Loewith & Sons, a dairy farm with 450 head of milking cows where she has worked since graduating from the University of Guelph in 2006. With the support of her employers, she has implemented a calf program that has reduced the farm’s mortality rate to almost zero.

The panel will be interactive, so this is a great time to put your calf health questions in front of experienced managers.