(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
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