As we enter into the new year, we can now safely say that calving on dairy farms is literally just around the corner. This time of the year is a stressful and busy time for these men and women, as the ‘to do’ list seems to never end.
Amidst the current climate, it is vitally important that farmers have the knowledge, skills and the appropriate equipment when it come to rearing these calves.
By doing so, whether these animals will be the future of the dairy herd or brought through to beef, they will have the best opportunity to perform to their potential in the future – any setback during the early weeks of life can have a negative effect on production as the animal gets older.
To inform farmers, a series of CalfCare events will take place in January 2020; this initiative is supported by Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland (AHI).
The expansion of the dairy herd has resulted in more and more dairy-origin calves available for beef production. In light of this, these events are not just for dairy farmers.
If possible, beef farmers should also attend these events to brush up on their calf rearing skills. The first three months of a calf-to-beef operation are critical to the farm’s bottom line.
In addition, failure to protect the performance during the calf rearing phase can subsequently lead to performance problems down the road.
- Space and housing requirements for calves;
- Best practice advice in terms of calf welfare;
- Correct feeding requirements.
The locations of the events are listed below, with the first date scheduled for this Wednesday, January 8.
