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Rapid shifts between hot and cold conditions can stress calves and compromise health. Wild swings of 50 degree are not uncommon. We experienced several days like that in Wisconsin in 2024. I know many of you have, too, when I see comments on social media about the swings: awful for calves, horrible for calf pneumonia, calf care has been a real challenge.
Do you have tactics ready for weather volatility – the fluctuations, the extreme cold and the humid high heat? Are you keeping an eye on the thermoneutral zone – as it relates to individual animals?
There are practical management adjustments you can make, including flexible feeding schedules, strategic use of shade and windbreaks, and monitoring water intake during temperature extremes. And there are practices that, at times, should be postponed and avoided.
Read the full article for more detail around the tips you can use for nurturing calves during fluctuating weather.
This post originally appeared in Progressive Dairy magazine.