The herdsman should not only be in attendance at the birth, but be close by for several hours. No person should handle a calf without first washing his hands in a sterilizing solution. Deliver the calf on to a clean plastic sheet rather than into the bedding. Rub the calf dry with clean cloths, do not use bedding or feed bags. The navel cord is just as susceptible to germs as an open cut.
Sanitation is especially important when feeding calves liquid diets.
Equipment must be spotlessly clean and sanitized before each feeding. The body of the new born calf is not conditioned to fluctuations of temperature and humidity. The body's heat control mechanism is not functioning well at this stage of life, and chilling or sunburn lowers resistance and uses up energy reserves. Move the calf immediately to a calf nursery and in cold weather continue the drying with a heat lamp. The calf nursery should be in a separate building or in a separated area of the cow barn.