You may think that it is too early to think about calves, even for winter milking herds, but preparation for autumn calving should begin now.
Preparing in advance will relieve stress on both the farmer and the cows, allowing for an easy, clean and relaxed calving.
Farmers should not wait for the arrival of calves to start getting the sheds ready, as all calf and calving sheds should now be washed and disinfected.
While making sure your facilities are set up for calving is essential, you should also ensure that the dry cows are getting adequate grass and roughage and are in a clean paddock to allow for any easy calving with no difficulties.
There should be no risk taken in terms of leaving the cows out for as long as possible. Once a cow begins to spring, she should be brought inside where she is close to a calving gate and calving facilities.
Autumn calving
Farmers should make sure that their calving facilities are clean, well-bedded, well-lit and have an adequate supply of clean water prior to the calving season.
Ideally, calving pens should be equipped with a self-locking restraining gate and should not be used to accommodate sick cattle.
Moving cows that are close to calving to these calving pens should be done well in advance, to ensure the cow is not stressed. This can be a particular problem for heifers.
All calvings should be somewhat observed without intruding and disturbing the animal, as it will add to her uneasiness. Farmers should make sure that their calving cameras are working well prior to calving.
Be well equipped
It is important to be well equipped for the coming calving season and this will mean ensuring that you have enough supplies to see you through the season.
Farmers need to have a look at what supplies they already have in the yard and put together a list of things that they will need to order or purchase.
Below is a list of materials that should be stocked and ready to go before calving gets underway:
- Disposable plastic gloves (long and short);
- Gel and paper towels;
- Calving ropes (minimum of two pairs);
- Calving jack;
- Oxytocin, calcium bottles or boluses and magnesium;
- Disinfectant for navel;
- Brix refractometer to test colostrum;
- Stomach tubes – have a minimum of two to have a separate one for electrolytes/sick calves and another for feeding colostrum to calves;
- Calf tags, notebook or a phone app to record calving information;
- Infrared lamp for sick calves;
- Footbaths with disinfectant.
Farmers should make sure they have all the supplies required at hand during the calving season to have them there when, or if they are required, rather than having to run to the local store to purchase them.
While getting these supplies together is essential, it is also important to check that the calving jack and ropes are in good order.