Caroline Zimmerman Shares How They Use Sexed Semen to Manage Heifer Inventories

Utilize Ultrasounding for Early Detection of Calfhood Issues

Managing calves can be a challenge, especially when you’re dealing with the up and down temperatures we’ve had this winter. But getting calves off to a good start can make all the difference in the future productivity of your herd. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Caroline Zimmerman of Dry Creek Farm in Blair County, Pennsylvania describes some innovative approaches her team takes to prioritize calf care and manage their youngstock. She shares her experience working closely with her veterinarian to ultrasound calf lungs and stay on top of pneumonia and other illnesses. She also talks about how they are using sexed semen to manage their heifer inventories, the transition they made to group housing and auto feeders, and the recent steps they’ve taken to breed beef on dairy. 

Listen to the podcast episode.

Podcast Highlights: Lung ultrasounding. “As diseases pop up, I started having questions about, ‘Am I doing the right treatment protocols? Am I catching it in time?’ One thing I’ve learned through reading and discussing it with my vet, there’s a lot of subclinical pneumonia that shows absolutely no symptoms. We would have a calf that’s not coughing or breathing heavy, and they’re eating great, but then you scan them and they have a 3 out of 5 lung score. There’s no way you would have known that calf is dealing with something because they were hiding it so well. That’s what spurred me to ultrasound the whole calf barn when our veterinarian is here because we can catch things early on.” 

Record-keeping and protocols. “The biggest thing is going to be your records. Whatever can be measured can be improved upon. You need to have an exact idea of what’s going on with your calves. That comes down to their weight and tracking their illnesses and specific symptoms. Once I have that data, then I can sit down with my vet and give them an entire picture of what’s going on. Having a great veterinarian is crucial in helping you address those issues, get to the root of the problem, and find effective protocols.”