Avoiding stress is key to a successful weaning process and ensuring that calves continue to achieve growth targets into the future.
The calves that you are weaning are your future milking herd and ensuring that everything runs smoothly is important.
Ensuring that they have reached targets now and don’t go backwards post-weaning is important.
Weaning
To prevent stress in calves it is important that a plan is put in place for the weaning process, as calves transition from a milk-based diet to a solids-based diet.
Poor management of calves pre- and post-weaning can result in poor potential growth rates, health issues, and failure to reach heifer-rearing weight targets.
You should not be weaning calves until they are continually eating 1kg of concentrates/day.
Calves should be weighed to determine if they are on target. To do this, use the calves maintenance figure to determine mature weight and work back from there.
Any calves that are behind target should be grouped together and continue being fed milk or milk replacer until target weights are achieved.
Once the calves are weaned and at grass they should be grazed using a leader follower system, with the older replacement heifers following the calves.
They should be moved regularly so that they have continuous access to fresh grass. Concentrates should be continued to fed until grass intakes have increased.
You should also monitor parasite burdens in the calves and treat them when required.
Coccidiosis
Something that farmers need to cautious of as calves get to the age where they may be affected is coccidiosis.
It is generally seen in calves between the ages of three weeks and nine months. Clinical signs include diarrhoea or dysentery (bloody diarrhoea).
Coccidia oocysts are highly resistant to environmental conditions, both in housing and on pasture, so premises and fields can remain contaminated for a year or longer.
There is no vaccination currently available, so good control measures are need to prevent outbreaks and spread.