Progressive Cattleman (3/17): Dirty, crowded pastures: Are they putting your newborns at risk?
RFD-TV: (3/16) Scott Sturgeon, DVM- Newborn calf protocols
Progressive Cattlemen (2-16): 4 Producers share their newborn calf protocols
Bovine Vet: Healthy Newborn Calves: A Service Opportunity
DairyBusiness East (11-15): Are Your Newborn Calf Protocols Up to Par?
Best of the West (8-15): Prevention is the Key to Healthy Calves
Severson Radio Network (2-15): Report from NCBA – First Defense product spotlight.
HeiferNotes (3/15): Combat procedural drift with 4 colostrum management refreshers
Dairy Herd Management (3/15): Back to the basics: 6 tips to get calves off to a great start
Video (2/15): World Ag Expo TV
Progressive Dairyman (1/15): Planning for success one calf at a time at Ruedinger Farms Inc.
Progressive Dairyman (11/14): Is colostrum inactivating your scours prevention program?
California Cattleman (9/14): Getting calves off on the right foot this calving season
Dairy Business (8/14): Dotterer & Sons Dairy: Growing through careful calf-care
The Progressive Farmer (7/14): Racing the clock: Newborn calf care is money in the bank
Progressive Dairyman (5/14): What is scours costing your operation?
DairyBusiness Communications (4/14): Dairy Calf & Heifer Association Conference Panelists Share Calf Management Insights
Vet Advantage (3/14): Healthy beginnings
Tri-State Neighbor (2/14): Give newborn calves immediate immunity during spring calving season
Progressive Dairyman (1/14): Calf Raising Protocol at Vir-Clar Farms
Midwest Producer (1/14): Cost of Scours
DairyLine Radio (video) (10/13): Steps to prevent scours in newborn calves
Progressive Cattlemen (8/13): Protect your newborn calves
Progressive Dairyman (7/13): Records help calf-raising operation
Drovers CattleNetwork (9-14): 5 tips to jump-start calf health this calving season
Video (12-14): Avoiding the scours speedbump in newborn calves.
Progressive Cattlemen (4/13): Provide calves immediate immunity
Progressive Cattleman (1/13): Newborn calf management program helps operation avoid scours
Progressive Cattleman (12/12): All colostrum is not created equal
Agri-View (10/12): Cattleman Brad Bader deals with effects of drought in southern Wisconsin
Venterinay Advantage (9/12): Colostrum has no label guarantee
Progressive Cattleman (8/12): Stopping the initial signs of scours
Drovers Cattle Network (3/12):Jump-start calf health
Agri-View (3/12): Antibody therapy aids in early calf health success
Peer-Reviewed White Paper (2/12): Does your vaccination protocol compromise newborn health?
Progressive Dairyman (1/12): Five reasons why immediate immunity is important
Progressive Cattleman (1/12): Prepare for the unexpected this calving season
Dairy Business (9-14): Dairy Detective: Uncovering scours issues at the source
“When first approached about using First Defense® I wasn’t quite sure about it but, it’s a simple easy way as far as prevention for scours. It’s something we can give day old, immediately and see the benefits right away.”
“We have been using First Defense® for the last 3-4 years and are really happy with the product. For us it’s important, it’s a big investment and a huge return. The product is convenient and versatile. Knowing we have protection as soon as the calf hits the ground is satisfying and comforting. This product gives assurance.”
“We usually have scour issues in calves from the last 25% of cows that calve, likely due to increased pathogens. We used First Defense® on those 25% of calves this year and not a single calf scoured. First Defense® is something we’ll definitely use next year and likely on a higher percentage of our herd.”
“A combination of rain and snow for several weeks resulted in challenging calving weather and our calves being born in wet and muddy conditions. We were amazed at how well First Defense® worked even with the poor weather conditions. We didn’t have to treat any of our First Defense® calves for scours and we experienced a reduction in pneumonia rates as well.”
“With input from our herd veterinarian, we revamped our calf-care program by upgrading the vaccination protocol; switching from milk replacer to pasteurized waste milk; hired a calf-care manager and administered First Defense® to every heifer calf shortly after birth. We now have just 2 to 3 percent pneumonia incidence and continue to use First Defense® on every heifer calf.”
“Before I used First Defense® I was administering several vaccines in unison. In talking with my veterinarian, I learned that those vaccines actually were cancelling one another out. That was more than 10 years ago. I switched to only First Defense® and have been using it since.”
“About seven years ago, we were having a serious problem with rotavirus and coronavirus; we were losing a lot of calves. Our veterinarian recommended administering First Defense® to newborns. It took care of the problem and I couldn’t be happier. We’ve given First Defense® to every heifer calf since.”
“Approximately 10 years ago we had a minor flair-up of scours in our herd… The following year we administered First Defense® to every newborn. Scours became basically non-existent..”
“We began using First Defense® during the 2013 calving season when we were treating what seemed like half of our calves for scours. Since using First Defense®, we have treated only four calves for scours out of our 600 head herd. First Defense® really works!”
“First Defense® is like an insurance policy that pays for itself in spades. Say you cut your death loss from, conservatively, 8 to 2 percent… That fuels the growth of the whole dairy.”
“First Defense® works, because we’ve seen the outcome of its absence. Two different times, we chose to cut back and stop giving it and both times the calves got sick. We’ve learned our lesson. My advice: get your calves on it, and stick with it.”