Calfmatters is running an Irish competition called #From10Days for farmers and vets based in Ireland. Ireland-based farmers and vets are invited to share their calf health top tips for dairy and beef calves from 10 days to weaning.

Winners have a chance of winning a set of four new jeep tyres or a calf jacket, by sharing a video entry of their #From10Days top calf health tip.

As part of its ‘Fine Tuning Calf Rearing’ initiative, this year #Calfmatters is focusing on the period from 10 days to weaning – but also keeping the theme that a series of continuous, small changes can lead to performance improvements.

Also known as Total Quality Management, this approach takes many lessons from the pig and poultry industries.

Speaking about the comparisons which can be taken from these sectors, Dr. Ailsa Milnes from #Calfmatters explained:

“Both the pig and poultry sectors are very data-driven and measure performance throughout the animal’s life.

“Aiming for a healthy, well grown and uniform end product is a common goal, whether we are talking chickens, pigs or calves.”

Feed conversion will be optimised by ensuring the housing environment is appropriate, the animal is robust and resilient and the correct amount of the right feed is provided.

At the same time, adapting or tweaking the system to eliminate any factors which have a negative impact will soon pay off.

Calf health tips – Areas of focus for rearing

In order to support farmers with advice and resources to review their systems and make changes, where necessary, #Calfmatters is focusing on three areas:

  • Immunity;
  • Environment;
  • Pre-weaning nutrition.

“Pneumonia and scour are the main causes of disease in young calves with pneumonia the main reason for calf mortality in the one to six-months-of-age bracket,” Dr Milnes stated.

“Often, this relates to the environment and time spent looking at hygiene and all aspects of the calves’ environment such as draughts, temperature, bedding quality and quantity and making necessary improvements, will be time well spent.”

Calf health tips – environment

The environment in a calf shed is made up of five areas:

  • Hygiene;
  • Ventilation – fresh air;
  • Air speed/draughts;
  • Moisture;
  • Temperature.

“We know that the stack effect impacts ventilation in adult cattle buildings; heat generated by ruminating stock leads to warm air rising to escape, causing fresh air to be drawn in through the sides.

“However, young calves do not ruminate and are unable to produce enough heat for this to happen.

“At the same time, young calves are susceptible to cold and even a relatively minor fall in temperature or an increase in draughts will mean that the calf is diverting energy that should be applied to growth or fighting infections, into keeping warm.”

To submit your tips for improving calves environment, please click the button below.

calf rearing

Calf health tips – Milk feeding

A 50kg calf, which typically would be three-weeks-old or less, will need almost 1L of extra milk replacer if the in-shed temperature is 10°C compared to a temperature of 20oC. This increases to an extra 1.8L if it is 0oC.

The milk feeding period is an excellent opportunity to maximise growth, but environmental stress can adversely affect feed conversion efficiency.

“The calf has 50% feed efficiency in the pre-weaning period and every 100g of average daily live weight gain [DLWG] in pre-weaned calves is associated with 85-111kg more milk in first lactation,” Dr. Milnes added.

To submit your tips when it comes to the milk feeding of calves, click the button below.

“Reviewing your own system is a great starting point and will mean changes can be made without delay. Vaccination can also be added to the preventative toolbox that is available to help make the most out of your farm system.”

Using an intranasal vaccine such as Bovalto Respi IN delivers rapid protection against RSV and PI3 and can be used from 10 days of age.

The intranasal route is very effective in young calves and 12 weeks of protection is given from 10 days after vaccination.

More information

The #Calfmatters calf health and performance ‘from 10 days to weaning’ flow chart includes a number of handy checklists to help with planning and managing improvements on-farm.

For more information about Calfmatters please click the button below.

Top tips can be shared with #Calfmatters via its Facebook andTwitter feeds, so get in touch.

Sources:
  1. DAFM (2019) All-Island Animal Health Disease Surveillance Report 2018;
  2. Teagasc (2017) Teagasc Calf Rearing Manual;
  3. Soberon et al (2012) Journal of Dairy Science 95:783-793.