Calves - getting your youngstock off to the best possible start

24 March 2009

Calves - getting your youngstock off to the best possible start

Whether you are rearing beef or dairy calves, you’ll want them to remain healthy and content, and to maximise their potential performance. Mortality is highest during the first six months of life; approximately one in seven dairy bred calves and one in 13 beef bred calves die in the rearing phase, according to Defra. Scouring is by far the commonest disease accounting for almost 50% of calf deaths.

Volac’s calf rearing specialist, Maggie Gould discusses how to get your calves off to the best start, with good colostrum management being the cornerstone of success for any smallholding rearing homebred calves, providing it is of the right quality and quantity and given to the calf at the right time.

Colostrum, the fuel for life

Colostrum supplies both essential nutrients and antibodies. A new born calf has no protective antibodies to resist disease challenges; that’s where colostrum comes in. Apart from supplying essential nutrients, colostrum provides the necessary antibodies which are readily absorbed. If your calves are suffering from poor health, low growth rates and high mortality, then they’re likely not to have received adequate colostrum.

Action

Remember the 4Q rule of colostrum management

Quality: feed calves with quality colostrum from mature cows

Quantity: feed a minimum three litres over two feeds within the first six hours

Quickly: feed as quickly as possible, and at the very latest within six hours of birth

Quietly: minimise stress to maximise absorption of antibodies

Getting colostrum into the calf

There are a number of methods to successfully ensure a calf receives adequate colostrum. The key to success is to have a management plan for each calf and stick to it. Here are some options to consider.

1, Allow the calf to suckle its dam. Supervise suckling to ensure the cow allows the calf to suckle early enough and for long enough to consume sufficient colostrum, normally this takes around 20 minutes.

2, Allow the calf to suckle from a teated bottle. This is a useful practice if feeding stored colostrum or substitute, and it enables the exact quantity to be fed and monitored.

3, Stomach tube. Seek advice and training from a professional before using this method. It’s less effective than using a bottle and teat, however it ensures that the calf takes a known amount.

4, Use a colostrum substitute. These should be used when fresh or frozen cows’ colostrum is not available. It’s useful in an emergency, or as a top up when an unknown quantity of colostrum has been suckled by the calf from its dam. Check the nutrient density of product before selection. High protein options (+75%) such as Volac Volostrum have been demonstrated to work effectively in independent trials.

Bought in calves

If you buy in calves to rear, make sure they are at least one week old with a dry treated navel and if possible, they have had adequate colostrum. Inspect them as soon as they arrive before they come into contact with others. Check posture, breathing, condition of the eyes, nose, navel, anus, feet and legs and ensure there are no incidences of diarrhoea or respiratory disease.

After inspection, allow them to rest in comfortable conditions for a few hours before feeding with whole milk or milk replacer. If there were any signs of digestive disturbances an electrolyte such as Volac ASGold may be given in the first feed. Monitor each calf for reduced or slower feed intake – slow drinking can demonstrate signs of illness.

Controlling scour Nutritional scour can be caused various factors including feeding too much milk, milk of varying quality, inconsistent milk temperatures and irregular feeding intervals.

The risk of infectious scours can be reduced by adopting an ‘all in, all out’ policy in the calf accommodation, where the building is completely emptied and disinfected after each batch of calves. If this is practically impossible, the make sure each individual pen is clean and disinfected and that all calves in the group are of a similar age.

Where scour does arrive the calf can very rapidly become dehydrated so it is important to offer an electrolyte such as Volac ASGold in addition to any antibiotic therapy which may be recommended by your veterinary surgeon.

Feeding guidelines           

1, Whatever volume of milk being fed, always ensure your calves have access to clean fresh water.

2, Introduce starter feed from three days of age. Supplies must be kept clean and fresh at all times. Remove surplus feed to older stock at least once daily.

3, Resist the temptation to feed hay. Feed clean straw, it provides a more efficient source of long fibre and will help encourage greater solid feed intake which in turn encourages early rumen development.

Rearing systems

The main systems available are split between restricted and unrestricted quantities of whole milk or milk replacers. In the next issue of The Smallholder we’ll explain the pros and cons of each system along with which milk to feed.

In the meantime, further information on calf management can be obtained from Volac’s Calf Management Guide. Copies are available, free of charge, by contacting Freephone 0800 919808, or visiting www.volac.com

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