10 Key Principle of Profitable Calf Rearing

(NRM) Dr Bas Schouten Key Principles in Successful Calf Rearing

1. Calf Selection – Purchase a good quality calf

• Minimum weight 40kg
• No twins, sick, or induced calves
• Must be 5 days of age
• Dry and clean naval cord
• Bright and alert
• Check joints for swelling and pain

2. Colostrum – A good colostrum intake is vital for animal health and survival

• A calf needs at least 4 litres of colostrums within the first 12 hours after birth (ie 2 litres twice a day)

3. Entry into Barn

• Do health check (as in rule 1)
• Transport calves humanely in a covered vehicle with soft clean base of shavings, straw or bark at a minimum depth of 100mm. There must be enough floor space for calves to be able to sit - about 1 square meter per calf
• Spray cord with iodine before and after transport
• On entry into barn allow time for calves to de-stress by allowing rest
• Feed only electrolytes for the first 12 hours

4. Pen sizes

• Allow at least 1.5 – 2 square meters per calf
• No more than 10 – 12 calves per pen
• No more than 100 calves per barn
• Use more than one barn to control diseases and to separate age groups
• Separate old calves from young calves
• Avoid mixing calves – leave in one pen for the first 3 weeks

5. Housing – Calves must be sheltered for at least 3 weeks

• Calves should be dry and draught free
• Best is a barn that is twice as deep as it is wide
• Check for draughts at ground level
• Flooring – base of clay/sand with a slope to allow drainage
• Slats or raised flooring is often draughty and less suitable
• Bedding – straw, bark or shavings at least 200mm deep
• Add to bedding when required
• Control rodents and birds to prevent disease transfer
• There must be no water lying around barn or feeding areas

6. Ventilation and Drainage

• Good ventilation is critical to remove affluent gases.
• Ventilation should be adjustable by doors and windows on exterior walls in the barn
• High levels of ammonia indicates insufficient ventilation
• Drainage – see housing

7. Feeding Schedules

• Feed milk or a good quality Calf Milk Replacer (CMR) at the rate of at least 10% of the body weight daily (ie 40kg calf requires at least 4 litres a day)
• CMR – Follow the recommended mixing rate and volumes on the bag
• Make changes in volume or strength gradually and allow 3 days between changes
• When animals are under environmental or nutritional stresses, or when recovering from disease challenges, increase CMR concentrate to aid recovery

8. Milk and Milk Feeders

• Best results are achieved if calves are fed twice a day for at least 10 days
• Feed hot (40oC) for at least the first 14 days
• Teat feed – with a compartmentalised feeder
• Feed by the same person each day – preferable a woman

9. Concentrates and Roughage

• Feed a highly palatable concentrate ad lib from 5 days of age
• Allow access to hay or straw from 5 days of age
• Allow access to clean fresh water at all times
• Calves can be weaned off milk when consuming 1 kg concentrate per calf per day
• Continue meal/pellet supplement for at least 1 month post weaning off milk at the rate of 1.5 – 2 kg per day

10. Animal Health

• Sterilise barn, bedding and feeding utensils with a proven virucidal spray before entry into the barn and then twice weekly
• Carefully observe calves daily. Record and treat properly at therapeutic levels
• Autopics and faecal cultures and blood tests are valuable for the prevention and prevention of disease – consult with your vet
• For the treatment of calf scours remove calves from milk. Treat with a good quality electrolyte mixed at adequate levels to correct dehydration and to maintain fluid and energy balance. About 6 – 10 litres of electrolyte are required daily. Return to milk feeding when the scouring stops

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Subscribe Here