Minnesota ag engineers championed portable houses call a super hutch (lean-to design with three sides enclosed, open or pointed to the southeast on skids that could be moved around and would house 5 to 8 heifers per group). Midwest Plan Service (page 18) has designs for a "super hutch". There are also other commercial designs available on the market that are comparable in price/calf.
On the management side, be sure you have a good coccidiostat in the calf starter and calves are eating 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per calf per day (containing the optimal amount of coccidiostat). Alternatively, perhaps wait a 7 to 14 days after weaning to group the calves so they are consuming 4-5 lbs of starter feed then keep the same starter for 7-10 days once they are grouped before feeding a new ration. This may help the transiiton.
Mike Hutjens, Extension Dairy Specialist, U of IL - Illini DairyNET
Hugh Chester-Jones, U of MN dairy and beef specialist.
