The objective of this study was to evaluate management, sanitation and consistency of liquid diets delivered to calves via autofeeders. Ten herds in Virginia and North Carolina with sophisticated(Förster- Technik, Germany) and basic (Biotic Industries, TN) machines were asked a 60-question survey concerning calf and autofeeder management. Duplicate milk replacer samples were obtained to measure standard plate count (SPC), Brix refractometer value and temperature of liquid diet delivered by the autofeeder at the time of the survey.

Our objectives were to evaluate the use of refractometry as a means of estimating immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of bovine maternal colostrum (MC) and determine if fractionation of MC using caprylic acid (CA) improved estimates of IgG. Samples (n = 85) of MC were collected from a single dairy in California and used to determine the method of CA fraction that produced the best prediction of IgG based on CA fractionation followed by refractometry.

Professional heifer growers and dairy producers are faced with the challenge of raising healthy calves while still paying close attention to rearing costs and profit. Factors that may be considered in selecting a liquid feeding program may include the number of calves fed, economics and cash flow, nutritional characteristics, calf performance targets, resource availability -- for example, consistent supply of non-saleable milk -- infectious disease control concerns, and personal preferences.

Raw-milk advocates believe that pasteurization degrades the healthful benefits of milk, but research has proven otherwise.