Rearing calves - 0 to 4 days
Calf rearers are responsible for the future generations of cows and they should have pride in the valuable role they are performing. Throughout the rearing period, planning can greatly reduce stress on the staff and on the calves. Consistency in the calf-rearing shed helps identify any problems quickly as they show up as different from the routine.
Quality colostrum is the key. Cows that calve in BCS 5 (heifers 5.5) produce higher-quality colostrum. The quality of colostrum is also influenced by the transition diet management, metabolic management, trace mineral status and availability of farm staff to check on springing cows regularly to reduce calving difficulties.
By 24 hours after calving, antibody levels in colostrum have fallen to less than 25% of their level at calving. Calves are born with almost no immunity and their ability to absorb antibodies from colostrum declines to zero by 24 hours of age. This is the reason for feeding calves 2-2.5 litres of 12-hour colostrum within 6-12 hours of birth.
Twice-daily calf removal should occur during the calving season. This reduces mastitis in heifers and cows and ensures adequate colostrum intake in calves in the first 6-12 hours of life. Calves left on cows for more than 12 hours have a high rate of failure of passive transfer of antibodies and are therefore at high risk of disease, ill-thrift and mortality. Fifty percent of calves fail to receive adequate colostrum when left on the cow for 24 hours.
Clean trailers with a good virucidal disinfectant after every pick-up. The aim is five calves per pen on the trailer, with a maximum of 10 calves per pen. Drive slowly!!!!
Dry and draught-free are important words. Ideally the shed is twice as deep as high or wide to prevent draughts at the back of the shed. Suitable bedding such as bark chips, untreated sawdust/shavings 200-300mm deep should be topped up regularly as needed. The minimum space per calf is 1.5m2. Pens should group a minimum of 10 calves, 20 at the most. Each shed should house a maximum of 100 calves. Keep calves as far away as possible from older animals on the farm.
Calves should be allocated to a pen when they first arrive in the shed and then stay in this pen the entire indoor-rearing time. Calves housed for the first 3 weeks and sheltered calves have shown a 20% increase in growth rates. Pens need good overhead air flow.
The floor should drain from back to front. A suggestion is a coil drain placed in pea-metal under the bedding to remove effluent and water and prevent pooling. There should be no free-lying water, mud, drains, swamp or cowshed effluent near the calf-rearing sheds.
Strategies for successful calf-rearing and reducing early season mastitis go hand-in-hand. Totally Vets can help you design strategies that work for you.
