New figures highlight calf mortality

ONLY 48% of heifer calves calved as heifers into the dairy herd at two years of age in recent years, and this highlights the problems of calf mortality and poor calf health on Irish farms, according to the Animal Health Ireland (AHI) organisation.

Teagasc research at Moorepark showed it costs €1,400 to rear a heifer calf to calve at 24 months — a terrible waste of money if calf mortality figures remain at their current levels, said Joe O’Flaherty of AHI.

He has invited farmers who lose heifer calves to visit the www.animalhealthireland.ie website, or call AHI at 071-9671928, for free information.