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On October 11, 1826 Theodore Jones of London, England received a patent for what he called %u201cwire wheels%u201d. Jones found that if he added wires, or what we now call spokes, to a circular rim, the wheel could bear greater stress while maintaining its round shape. The addition of the spokes helped the rim distribute the stress evenly throughout the wheel. This strength is dependent on all the spokes working together; if one or more spokes are weak or broken, the rim may collapse.In the same way that spokes help keep a wheel round, calves have six main %u201cspokes%u201d that help keep them healthy when subject to stress, which are:1. Colostrum 4. Air Quality2. Calories 5. Vaccination3. Bedding 6. Sanitation When evaluating a calf rearing program, think of it like a bicycle wheel. A perfectly round wheel indicates a well-developed and executed calf program. A generally round wheel flexing under some stressors may indicate one or more areas of opportunity within the program. A completely collapsed wheel requires that the entire calf program be assessed to minimize any further calf morbidity and/or mortality. Tests can be run to evaluate the strength of each spoke in the wheel; procedures and protocols can then be instituted to strengthen the weak spokes and ultimately get the wheel round again. Consider these six components when assessing your calf program:Comparing Calves to Bicycle WheelsA Systematic Approach to Troubleshooting Pre-weaned CalvesBy Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M.Director of Technical Services38 | 1.888.376.6777 %u2022 www.crystalcreeknatural.com