An educational webinar for dairy farmers who are interested in rearing calves more productively will take place next week (Thursday, October 21).
It’s being organised by Volac and is designed to help farmers produce better heifers.
The practical 90-minute lunchtime session will feature expert speakers who will focus on:
- Feeding for growth through effective calf nutrition;
- The benefits of computerised feeding;
- Practical tips on how to improve the rearing environment.
Guest speakers on rearing calves
Joshua Hirneiss, sales manager with Urban Calf Feeders is among the guest speakers. He is responsible for the UK and Irish markets.
He will highlight how calf nutrition and health can be improved by automatic feeding, while at the same time saving on labour input.
Dr. Jessica Cooke, reasearch and development manager with Volac will focus on how to maximise calf nutrition efficiency during the crucial pre-weaned period.
Having gained a PhD from Royal Veterinary College, she is now responsible for feeding the latest science into Volac’s innovations processes for product development, and for providing the most up to date advice for rearing youngstock on farms.
The third speaker – research scientist and calf housing specialist Jamie Robertson – will discuss how to assess calf buildings from a shelter and hygiene perspective.
Based in Aberdeen, a lot of Robertson’s work places a focus on the relationship between the environment, and the health of animals.
For the past three years, Robertson has been heavily involved in a project with Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Northern Ireland surrounding calf environments and buildings.
The free webinar takes place at 12:15p.m on October 21, 2021, and pre-registration is required.