Dairy Technical
The total number of calf registrations on Irish farms has reached 1,477,133 head for the year-to-date based on the latest data from ICBF.
On farms where calving begin in mid-January there will now be calves between nine and ten weeks of age and it may be time to start preparing for weaning.
Dairy News
The Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF) said 448,123 calves have been genotyped to date under the National Genotyping Programme (NGP).
The demand for strong well-fed calves is continuing to grow with calf trade and sales in marts very much in peak season.
Calf sheds are on many farms now full and the bacterial load on them in now quite high, which means that scour is now becoming an issue.
The disbudding of calves is taking place on many farms, but farmers are reminded that thermal cauterisation is only legal method in Ireland.
As we progress further into March, the calving season continues, with the risk of milk fever within...
The National Genotyping Programme (NGP) is now in week 11, with 367,037 passports issued from the programme to date.
As calf sheds begin to fill on farms this spring pneumonia can begin to become an issues on many dairy farms.
The National Genotyping Programme (NGP) is now in week ten, with over 300,000 passports now having been issued.
Calves on many farms are now old enough to transition to once-a-day (OAD) feeding, which can reduce the workload considerably on farms.
The disbudding of replacement heifer calves is a job that is looming on many dairy farms and should be completed before calves get too big.
Calf registrations for 2024 have reached 707,825 head, with 112,150 calves being registered in the last week...
The National Genotyping Programme (NGP) is now in week nine, with close to 218,000 passports issued...
Early identification of sick calves is key to getting them treatment and preventing the spread to other calves in the pen or shed.
For most the calving season has been ongoing for the at least three weeks, with most having a large number of calves now being on the ground.
Fat cows are something that need to be closely monitored, with these cows being 'high risk' for issues around calving.
It is important that after calving cows are closely monitored to ensure that excess body condition is not being lost.
The latest data for calf registrations from ICBF, shows that the number of calves registered to dairy dams to-date this year had fallen by...
On many dairy farms calves are sold-off farm starting from around two weeks of age, presenting them in good health and looking well is....
Calf registrations have now reached 314,424 head for 2024, with 96,628 registered in the last week based on ICBF data.
A displaced abomasum is not uncommon occurrence during the calving season on dairy farms and will present similar to ketosis.
In many parts of the country it is remaining a challenge to get cows out to grass, but in other parts grazing is achievable.
