Rachel Martin: The costs of failure make it critical to get calf-rearing off to a good start

By getting your young stock off to the best possible start, you really are getting your future herd off to the best start too.

Making sure buckets and teats are cleaned properly and regularly is a good place to start.

This week, most stockmen I’ve been chatting to have been bracing for the start of a busy spring-calving season, and it’s clear that when it comes to calving, those who plan ahead get ahead.

It can be tempting to wait until the first calves arrive to start, but remember that it’s very difficult when you’re in the thick of things to make the time to step back and assess where improvements can be made, particularly those of you operating a tight block-calving system.