Brian Reidy: Calf rearing and management for the herd's future
Rearing calves is such an important part of the dairy production system and getting it right is key for the future of the herd.
Rearing calves is such an important part of the dairy production system and getting it right is key for the future of the herd. Every farm has a different way of rearing calves, but getting the basics right is the same for every producer.
The first priority must be getting the calves' immune system up and running by providing sufficient colostrum in the first 2 hours after birth.
For convenience and to be sure that the right volume is fed, many now tube calves their first feed.
Make sure that whatever method you choose, it is done in the most hygienic way possible. Clean and sterilise equipment between uses.
If you let calves get their colostrum from the cow, be aware that dirty teats can be a huge cause of future disease.
Social media is full of farmers with calf rearing queries at present - let’s all start to speak the same language.
For those feeding fresh milk, hygiene is key, wash and sterilise equipment as recommended and store milk at the appropriate temperature to keep it fresh and safe for consumption. Some will use acids and preservatives to prolong shelf life and aid calf digestion. Calves can easily consume 8 to 9 litres of milk, but keep an eye that they are consuming sufficient straw and meal to develop their rumen.
If feeding milk, replacing the number of litres you feed is not the relevant measure. You must work on how many grammes of powder you want to feed the calves. 850 to 1000 grammes should be the target for dairy replacements - any more and they won’t consume sufficient straw and meal to develop their rumens.
Too many herds are reporting bloat on powder as they are feeding too much and there is no room left for roughage or concentrates. This is an issue in bucket fed and automatic feeder fed calves on milk replacer.
Feed a meal mix that includes top quality cereals, digestible fibre and protein and avoid feeds with inferior byproducts included - if a meal is cheap, it is for a reason.
The sheds used for rearing calves are so variable around the country. Some are too cold, while some are too stuffy with poor airflow.
The location of the calf shed in the yard can determine its suitability. One thing that almost always sets alarm bells ringing is the presence of vented side sheeting in calf sheds. More often than not they create draughts of cold air on top of calves, resulting in an increased incidence of respiratory issues. This type of sheeting in fact is detrimental to good airflow.
You need good air inlets that don’t come in directly on top of the calves or fall down on them and after that, you need a good exit for the air to keep it fresh.
Offsetting standard side sheeting and dropping it below the wall plate to create an up-current is so much better for airflow and keeping calves cosy in their clean and fresh straw beds. Don’t overpopulate pens as this is also a major contributory factor in calf disease.
Many herds now use calf jackets for the first three to four weeks to help younger calves regulate body temperature. Take care that you wait until calves are dry before putting on jackets and ensure that the jackets remain dry while on. Wash jackets between calves to prevent the spread of disease.
Some have installed canopies beside the walls in pens to try and create a more cosy environment, but take care that these can make it much more difficult to herd calves, bed them and may also make it far more awkward to clean out.
Try to feed, meal, milk and straw in an area away from where calves lounge and sleep as this will help to keep bedding fresh and dry for longer-this is very obvious but often overlooked. For anyone planning to build or modify a calf shed for the future, ease of cleaning out, airflow and access to feeding must be prioritised.
Calf hutches have been installed for many reasons. Some use them as their herds have expanded to rear extra calves while they get a chance to increase capacity in sheds.
Many more use hutches to accommodate younger calves as a means of breaking a disease cycle that may be present in the main calf shed. While others have a combination of single and 10 calf hutches as their permanent calf rearing facility.
I have seen some excellent calf rearing systems in yards where a series of hutches are positioned on a woodchip/bark surface with a base of drainage stone. Others have them in a concrete yard.
The key here is the position of this in the yard where there is sufficient shelter from the prevailing winds.
Ease of access for cleaning out and feeding is key from a labour point of view.
