Calf Probiotic Paste That Gives Newborn Calves a Strong First Day
The first hours of a calf's life set the tone for the weeks that follow. Start Baby is a calf probiotic paste, given as one tube within six hours of birth. Each tube delivers a guaranteed minimum of 60 billion CFU of beneficial bacteria plus B vitamins, with no antibiotics or hormones. It was developed by a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania dairy consultant, and we ship it to farms across the country.
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Choose the Calf Probiotic Pack That Fits Your Calving Season
Every pack holds the same Start Baby tube. The only difference is how many calves you plan to cover before you reorder.
A good fit for a small herd, a first trial, or a spare supply in the calving barn. Five tubes covers five newborn calves at one full tube each. See the Start Baby 5 Pack.
Built for steady year-round calving, where a few calves arrive every week. Keep a box on the shelf so a tube is ready the moment a calf hits the ground. See the Start Baby 25 Pack.
For larger dairies and busy seasonal calving, when you want one order to carry you through. Fifty tubes means fewer reorders during the weeks you have the least time. See the Start Baby 50 Pack.
Our second calf formula is in development. We will share full details, ingredients, and directions on the Healthy Baby product page when it is ready to ship.
Understanding Gut Health in Cattle
Take a closer look at an important aspect of cattle care: gut health. Watch this video from Ag Resources Unlimited for an introduction to the topic and a starting point for thinking about your herd’s digestive wellbeing.
What Goes Into Every Tube, Straight From Our Label
60 Billion CFU of Beneficial Bacteria
Start Baby is a direct-fed microbial supplement for newborn calves. Each tube guarantees a minimum total microbial count of 60 billion CFU. The label lists four strains: Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus plantarum. A newborn calf starts life with an undeveloped gut, and these bacteria help it get established early.
A Full Panel of B Vitamins
Each tube also includes vitamin B-12, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, and d-calcium pantothenate. These round out the probiotic dose with nutritional support in the same single tube.
No Antibiotics, No Hormones
Start Baby contains no antibiotics or hormones. It is a calf supplement for gut health, not a medicine, which makes it an easy fit alongside the calf care protocol you already follow with your veterinarian.
What We Stand For
CRAFTSMANSHIP
QUALITY
HONESTY
STRONG BELIEFS
LEARNING
How to Give Start Baby in Under a Minute
The directions on our label are simple, so anyone on your crew can do it right at the first feeding.
- Give one full tube to the calf within six hours of birth.
- Dispense the paste slowly on the back of the tongue.
- Let the calf swallow at its own pace before giving more.
- Do not give Start Baby to a calf that is unable to swallow. Call your veterinarian for a calf that is weak or down.
- Keep a supply in the calving pen or on the colostrum cart, and the tube can go in during the same visit as the first feeding. You can find answers on timing, dosing, and use with other animals on our
Start Baby FAQ page.
Why Dairy Producers Trust Start Baby for Their Calf Programs
Start Baby came out of the barn, not a marketing office. Here is what that means for your herd.
- Developed by a working dairy consultant. Our founder, Glenn Flickinger, holds a BS in Animal Science from Delaware Valley University and has run his own farm consulting firm since 1992. He has worked with dairies of all sizes in multiple states, and Start Baby grew out of that work.
- A guaranteed analysis you can read. The CFU count and full ingredient list are printed on the label, so you can compare Start Baby to anything else on your shelf.
- Made in the USA. Every tube is manufactured in the USA in a commercial plant, so the product you reorder matches the product that worked last season.
- One tube, one calf. No mixing, no measuring, and no guessing at doses when you are short on time and sleep.
- A real person on the phone. Questions about dosing, timing, or how Start Baby fits your protocol go to our team directly at (223) 341-9188.
What Producers Say After Their First Calving Season With Start Baby
Producers and herd consultants have shared how Start Baby fits into their day-one routine. Here is what they have told us, in their own words.
“The AUR calf tube is our #1 go-to solution for early calf health in newborns. It's easy-to-use and calves seem to enjoy the delicious flavor, and when the calf feeder comes to the next feeding the live ones are easy to differentiate from the dead ones”
~ Jonas
“We have used competing calf paste products at birth for several years with good success but when our go-to was no longer available we struggled to find a product to replace it that provided the same or better results. When we would find something that worked decent it was more expensive. When we tried Start Baby by ARU we found a product that provided the consistent results we wanted at a price point we liked."
~ Peter
“I had several calves that had scours and were just looking “blah”, I gave them a tube of Start Baby a couple of days and after about a week they were over the scours and were looking much spunkier.”
~ Karen
“ARU Start Baby is the calf product my clients use in their calf programs starting on day one. ARU Start ensures the calf is getting the start it needs to help overcome the challenges we all know it is going to face in the days to come. The product is formulated to give the calf a packed dose of microbes, probiotics, essential oils, and vitamin B-12 that gives the calf a boost in life. I would recommend that this product be added to every calf program because it has helped my client's calf programs to be even more successful.”
~ Scott Holloway, Twin Oaks Farms
“We have been having trouble with scours in calves from 5 to 14 days of age. Our normal defense protocol was to first use Trishield with a Tristart paste, but we were still having issues. A friend of mine then suggested that ARU Start Baby be given at birth or when the calf starts to show signs of sickness. We gave it to four calves at birth - 2 did not get sick and 2 did. The two that had gotten sick, we were able to give them a tube and the two sick calves snapped out of it within 12 hours. ARU Start Baby will be in my toolbox from now on. No need for antibiotics with these 6 calves!”
~ Bill & Amber Koopmeiners, Upsala, MN
From Lancaster County, PA to Calf Barns Nationwide
AG Resources Unlimited is a family business rooted in Pennsylvania dairy country. We are based in Lancaster County, and that is where Start Baby was developed.
Today we ship Start Baby to dairy and beef operations across the country, from neighboring farms here at home to herds in the Midwest and Southwest. Order online and your tubes ship straight to your farm, or call us if you would like help choosing a pack size for your calving numbers.
Built by a Family That Has Spent Generations With Livestock
The Flickinger family has been devoted to agriculture and animal production for generations. Glenn Flickinger was born and raised on the farm and worked his way from the fields to herdsman to management before starting his consulting firm in 1992.
The idea for ARU took shape on a fall drive through Minnesota, visiting a longtime client. A stop at a general store stocked with old-time remedies got Glenn thinking about better options for livestock health. That thinking became Start Baby: a simple supplement that supports a calf's own gut and immune system from day one. You can read more about Glenn and the company on our About page.
Questions Producers Ask Before Ordering Start Baby
When should I give Start Baby to a newborn calf?
Give one full tube within six hours of birth, per the directions on our label. Giving it at the same visit as the first colostrum feeding makes it easy to build into the routine. Dispense it slowly on the back of the tongue, and never give it to a calf that cannot swallow.
What is in Start Baby?
Start Baby is a direct-fed microbial calf paste with a guaranteed minimum of 60 billion CFU per tube from four beneficial bacteria strains, plus a full panel of B vitamins including B-12. It contains no antibiotics or hormones. The complete ingredient list is printed on every label.
Can I use Start Baby if my calf is already on antibiotics?
Start Baby is a feed supplement, not a medicine, and it contains no antibiotics. If a calf is sick, treatment decisions belong with your veterinarian. Ask your vet about adding Start Baby to the plan, and see our FAQ page for more on how it fits a calf program.
Which pack size should I order?
Match the pack to the calves you expect before your next order. The 5 pack suits a trial or a small herd, the 25 pack suits steady year-round calving, and the 50 pack suits larger dairies or a concentrated calving season. Every pack holds the same tube, so there is no difference in the product.
Can I use Start Baby on animals other than calves?
Start Baby is formulated for newborn calves. Please call our team at (223) 341-9188 before using it on another species so we can talk through dosing with you.
