Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Have you ever wondered why most farmers choose to separate dairy cows and calves at birth?
You are not alone. There is less than two percent of the American population that is connected to
agriculture. Now more than ever, the public wants answers to why certain practices occur on the
The first priority of dairy farmers is to provide safe and delicious products to consumers while
providing the best care possible to their animals and land. Although every farm is different, the
mission and values of each remain the same; to ensure that the environment is safe and healthy
for both dairy cows and calves. It takes proper nutrition, clean living conditions, and access to
Farmers move expecting dairy cows to a separate pen with clean bedding and plenty of space to
give birth. Maternity pens allow farmers to observe the calving process and assist if needed.
Each day, the pen is cleaned to remove manure and add fresh bedding to reduce the risk of
cleanliness-related issues. A few other benefits of a maternity pen are fans to keep cows cool,
provide plenty of access to clean drinking water, space for a veterinarian to perform check-ups,
Once a calf is born, the mother licks off the coat until it is dry. The cow and calf spend a short
amount of time together before they are separated. The cow is brought to the parlor to be milked
and given extra calcium for post-birth diseases and illnesses. The first milk to come out of a cow
that recently gave birth is called colostrum. Colostrum is very important to making sure a calf
gets a great start to life because it is filled with antibodies and vitamins, which help them gain
The calf is moved to its own pen that is freshly cleaned and bedded. Dairy calves are born with
virtually no immune system and are susceptible to diseases. Some of the diseases that calves can
contract at birth are scours, pneumonia, and Johne’s. Scours are caused by infectious bacteria
from poor quality colostrum and a wet environment. Pneumonia is common after weather
changes and stressful situations. Johne's is a disease that is caused by nursing on teats that are
contaminated with manure. They are also very fragile when they are born. If a cow were to step
On the other hand, dairy cows can also be susceptible to diseases if the calf nurses without
proper cleaning. Mastitis is the most common disease that affects dairy cattle in the United
States. It can occur when a calf nurses on dirty teats and bacteria gets inside, but can also be
caused by cold weather, wet bedding, and lack of essential vitamins. There is a decrease in milk
production and milk fat content when cows and calves are raised together.
The easiest way for someone to understand the process of separating cows and calves at birth is
to think of a farm as a daycare. The cow needs to go to work to make money to feed her calf. In
other words, she has to milk, eat, and rest for most of the day. The calf is brought to a place
where someone can watch, feed, and care for it; similar to daycare. The farmer can be considered
a babysitter or daycare worker because they are in charge of taking care of the calf while the
mother is working. The careful care provided by the farmer allows the calf to grow healthy and
strong. Once the calf grows up and has her own baby, she will join the mother in the workforce.