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Dairy Calf and Heifer Association experiencing growth

An organization that focuses on calf health and development is seeing a lot of growth.

Dr. Bob James is a calf and heifer consultant and former Virginia Tech professor that co-founded what is now the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association and says the group has grown exponentially in the past five years.  “Last year, we had (with) the people attending, we had over two million head of animals represented, 30 states, 10 foreign countries, so we’re really attracting, I think, a lot of the important people in our industry.”

James says more producers are getting involved because they’re learning how important the early life of a calf is to its future health and productivity.  “We’re finding out that how we take care of this calf has a real strong influence on their health.  It has a real strong influence on their immune development, and actually how well they’re going to produce as a milking animal.”

James says research is changing how producers look at raising calves, including a movement toward more group housing and feeding calves smaller meals more often.

Dr. Bob James talks to Brownfield about the growth of the DCHA, calf nutrition, group housing for calves, and advice for producers considering a management change.