1. Prioritizing Nutrition and Body Condition Score Nutrition is the most important aspect to achieve healthy calves and a good pregnancy rate. “Having cows in great body condition score is important so that when they calve, they have the quantity and quality of colostrum calves need. A belly full of colostrum can prevent a lot of health problems calves can experience,” Dr. Hilton said. Colostrum is critically important to calf health because calves are born agammaglobulinemic, meaning they have almost no antibodies to protect them against disease. “Colostrum provides some 95% of the antibodies a calf obtains, plus a rich source of minerals, vitamins and energy – protecting newborn calves against infectious agents during the first few months of life. Colostrum can benefit overall calf health and reduce risks for calfhood diseases, increase average daily gain and more throughout a calf’s lifetime. Ensuring they receive high-quality, adequate amounts of colostrum is vital for their immediate survival and for the years to come,” said Dr. Nagely.