Prologue

Calves are the future of a dairy operation. They make the replacement dairy herd and ensure the continuation of a dairy farm. Therefore, Muhammad Younas Research Extension Action Lab (MY REALAB), has specifically initiated an article series “Calf Kahani” to improve the efficiency of calf rearing in Pakistan by extending scientific research into actionable farm practices.

I have been working with calves for the last 11 years. In 2012, I started my job in the calf section at a corporate dairy farm in Pakistan (Sapphire Dairies, Raiwind, Pakistan). Then from 2013-2016, I was involved in UVAS 24/7 extension services, where I visited and consulted calf sections of about 200 dairy farms of Punjab. Then, from 2016 to 2020, I was privileged to work with globally renowned calf scientist Prof. Dr. Arlyn Jud Heinrichs, as my PhD advisor at Pennsylvania State University. While working with Dr. Heinrichs, I learned and researched the key nutritional and management practices of pre and post-weaning dairy calves. After completing my Ph.D. in animal nutrition from Penn State University, (from 2020 to date), I have been working in the Animal Nutrition Department of UVAS both as a researcher and a teacher. At the same time, I am visiting different farms in Punjab and helping them to improve their calf management practices. In the last 3 years, we have been able to:

1. Reduce the weaning age to 45 days from the traditional 90 days
2. Reduce calf mortality
3. Reduce calf diarrhea
4. Reduce and treat calf pneumonia
5. Reduce preweaning calf rearing cost by 30%
6. Improve calf average daily gain

Without affecting their future production and health by introducing newer calf management and nutritional practices.