There have been three major efforts in the past two years by the dairy and veal industries in the enhancement of dairy cattle care provided on the nation’s farms. These efforts have resulted in formalized guidelines for the care and handling of dairy cattle (including calves) on the nation’s dairy, veal and dairy-beef farms. The reasons for formalizing these guidelines have been (1) to provide "checklists" for farmers to evaluate and improve their cattle care, handling, and management programs and facilities; (2) to decrease the possibility of voids in health care and management which could result in lower performance, production, animal well-being, or profitability or greater frequency of morality, morbidity, injuries or violative chemical residues; and (3) increase public knowledge of the specific science-based recommendations for animal care on dairy and veal farms. The same organizations which have formulated, sponsored and conducted commodity quality assurance (QA) or total quality management (TQM) programs have similarly developed these cattle care guidelines which also address several specific objectives of the QA or TQM programs. As indicated above, the development and application of animal care guidelines for any species, for farm or laboratory use, should not be taken to mean that these practices are not already being utilized. The guidelines simply represent a way of formalizing specific practices, providing a convenient and thorough checklist for animal caretakers, and to form a basis for communicating with the general public regarding specific recommendations to improve the well-being of animals that we use in our animal systems.

As expected, there are similarities in the development, content and implementation of the different programs which are available. Basic to all of these programs was the cooperative attitude and expressed need for formal programs by involved commodity and farm organizations. Several producer organizations were involved, including the American Farm Bureau, American Veal Association, National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, National Milk Producer Federation, Purebred Dairy Cattle Association, and Holstein Association, USA, Inc. Several other groups provided technical review, including the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Veterinary Medical Association, Livestock Conservation Institute, National Farmers Organization, and USDA Extension, as well as specialists from several universities.

The profitability of special-fed veal and dairy-beef production depend to a large extent on the health, quality, and potential growth performance of the calves entering the veal or dairy-beef feeding program. This booklet, revised in 1981, 1987, 1990 and 1994, is designed for use by special-fed veal producers, although many of the practices also are useful for dairy-beef calf starters. Sections included in the booklet are:

·Facilities (buildings, waste handling, storage, disposal and recycling; ventilation and humidity; individual stalls; group pens; emergency and safety precautions);

·Feed storage area and feeding, watering, and cleaning systems;

·Facility preparation and maintenance; other biosecurity measures;

·Calf care at the dairy farm; obtaining calves;

·Care of veal calves upon arrival at the barn;

·Examination, protection and disposal of the calves;

·Health programs;

·Pre-market testing;

·Handling and transportation of veal calves;

·Definition and application of a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship;

·Food and Drug Administration Compliance Policy Guides pertaining to veal production;

·Recommended sources of additional information.

This booklet is distributed by the American Veal Association upon request and was provided to all of its members. Primary funding for this effort was from the National Beef Promotion and Research Board through the Veal Total Quality Management (Quality Assurance) Education Program. The rationale for funding being provided by the Beef Board was that this program which would enhance calf health, thereby decreasing the need for medications and lessening the chance of violative chemical residues in the resulting veal meat products. It may be easy to understand the reason to emphasize the veterinarian-client-patient relationship and enhanced calf health upon arrival at the veal barn, since these have direct influence on animal health and well-being and on the frequency of violative residues. It is more difficult perhaps to comprehend the importance of air quality in enclosed housing through effective ventilation and humidity control, waste handling systems and other facility alternatives on calf health and meat product wholesomeness. However, there are data available to substantiate the influence of air quality in confinement systems on calf health, medication use, feed efficiency, and growth performance.

Calf Care Protocol for the Dairy Producers

The veal industry sought to increase communication with the dairy industry so as to bring about an enhancement of calf health and quality, particularly since there was more competition for a reduced number of dairy calves born in the U.S. because of the expanding dairy-beef industry. Communication between veal producers and dairy producers brought about the cooperative efforts resulting in this protocol. This resulted in a veal/dairy calf taskforce which included representatives from the veal and dairy industries, livestock markets, and veterinary associations. After almost two years of meeting as a task force, the calf care protocol was developed, and is essentially the same as the guidelines which pertain to calf health and quality set forth in the Caring For Dairy Animals (to be discussed later). Some of the key summary points for the delivery and management of calves at the dairy farm are:

Comprehensive dairy herd health program.

Provide dry, sanitary maternity pens or paddocks.

Dip navels in 7 percent tincture of iodine as soon as possible after birth.

Provision of high-quality colostrum within the first two hours after birth and at least three times within the first 18 hours.

If antibiotics are to be used on calves to be marketed, use antibiotics with shorter withdrawal periods (consult a veterinarian).

Market calves only if they are able to walk unassisted and have a dry navel.;

Market calves between four and eight days of age.

Transport calves safely and comfortably; handle calves properly whenever moved on the farm or in the market to prevent injuries.

Follow transportation guidelines, including space requirements.

In this publication, as well as others mentioned herein, additional references or reading materials are cited.

The recommended practices set forth in this publication are quite apparent in their relationship to the profitability of subsequent users of dairy calves such as special-fed veal producers or dairy-beef starters. Were these guidelines developed to appease animal activists and to gain public acceptance of veal and dairy practices? This probably can be best answered by a statement from a veal producer who was asked whether or not the changes he made in his operation were because of public opinion or some other reasons. He stated simply "the changes I make in my operation are to benefit the calf and to increase the chances of my enterprise being profitable -- not for the sake of changing public opinion."

The relation of initial calf health and quality to the veal producer should be apparent in each of the recommended practices. A formal, comprehensive vaccination program in a dairy herd will increase the resistance of calves to many diseases and conditions that may otherwise reduce calf health. The feeding of colostrum and dipping of the navel in iodine similarly is a least-cost practice with continued benefits to the calf and increased chances for profitability in veal or dairy-beef systems. One concern that remains for dairy and veal producers is the relatively high incidence of violative residues in "bob" calves processed at 10 day of age or less. In 1993, this percentage was 2.3 percent and remains at the highest percent for any class of meat animals. This relates primarily to the use of antibiotics and other compounds on new-born calves at the dairy farm. Conversely, the percent of violative chemical residues in special-fed veal calves has decreased from 3.3 percent in 1988 to 0.13 percent in 1993, as a result of the veal industry’s quality assurance program and industry-wide efforts to address the problem.

This is a comprehensive 10-point guide presented to the dairy farmer as a reference and as an on-farm evaluation guide. The reference guide provides a rationale for each recommended practice. The evaluation guide is to be completed by the dairy farmer in a self-assessment of his or her program. The responses to the 10-point in the evaluation guide are then discussed with a veterinarian or an animal scientist who will make recommendations, based on the knowledge and experience gained from contacts with many other farms, from workshops and his or her own judgement. It is a self-assessment program, and neither the comments of the farmer nor the advisors are to leave the farm. It should be used as a year-to-year continuing guide to determine changes/improvements in management of the different types of dairy cattle on the farm, and includes a facility check list.

The dairy cattle guide is intended as an integral part of, and is designed similarly to the milk and dairy-beef quality assurance program. Sections of the guide are:

Producer and employee attitudes

Health care

Environment for dairy animals

Facilities provided for dairy animals

Dairy nutritional care: watering and feeding

Milking procedures and equipment

Transporting and handling dairy animals

Delivery and management of calves

Sick, hospitalized, non-ambulatory and dead animals

Annual review

This guide, as well as others, are on-going efforts, and certainly will be revised based on practicality and new science-based information.

Perhaps the most effective and progressive programs that have been developed and implemented by the animal industries over the past few years have been the quality assurance educational programs and animal care guidelines. These two programs go hand-in-hand since most of the practices recommended within quality assurance programs impact directly on animal care and well-being in addition to their primary impact on producing wholesome food from animal-derived sources, and with a correspondingly positive impact on environmental quality. It is gratifying to observe industry groups working together to solve real or potential problems, and to set forth guidelines that enhance animal well-being and wholesomeness of animal-derived foods.

Guide for the Care and Production of Veal Calves. 1994. (Lowell L. Wilson,

Revision Editor). Available from the American Veal Association, 1804 Naper Blvd., Suite 401, Naperville, IL 60563.

Calf Care Protocol for the Dairy Producer. 1994. (Anne Banville and Lowell

Wilson, Editors). Developed by the Joint Veal/Dairy Taskforce on Calf Quality. Available from the American Veal Association, 1804 Naper Blvd., Suite 401, Naperville, IL 60563

Caring for Dairy Animals (Reference Guide and On-Farm Evaluation Guide).

1994. (Kenneth E. Olson, Editor). Available from Agri-Education, Inc., 801 Shakespeare Ave., Stratford, IA 50149.