Profitable Calf Rearing in a Sustainable Dairy Industry Conference

14 December 2010

Profitable Calf Rearing in a Sustainable Dairy Industry was the theme of a one day conference organised by Volac last month in Shropshire and to which more than 180 invited delegates from the supply and vet sector attended.

Healthy and content dairy cows that are able to get in calf and give birth to healthy calves, combined with skilled farmers and stock people who ensure that animal welfare, milk quality and hygiene are of the highest standard, are the essential ingredients for a sustainable dairy industry, according to the NFU’s Hayley Campbell-Gibbons.

However, it was the heifer replacements which failed to achieve the attention they rightly deserved, said Volac’s David Neville. “Heifer calves represent every dairy herd’s future, they require major investment in time and inputs in order to maximise lifetime performance, yet 70% of dairy farmers never review their calf rearing costs, and 10% don’t know them.”

Furthermore over 20% of calves fail to calve for the first time, according to Royal Veterinary College research findings. Volac’s Dr Jessica Cooke reported on a seven year study across 19 commercial dairy farms, monitoring 1,100 Holstein Friesian calves jointly funded by DairyCo and Defra and carried out by herself and Prof Claire Wathes; 8% of male and female calves were born dead or died within the first 24 hours, 3% of heifers died within the first month, a further 7% by breeding at 15 months and 4% of heifers served at least once failed to calve, primarily due to infertility. “If farmers are to make any progress towards reducing these large losses of potential replacement heifers, then on farm systems need to be introduced to monitor the incidence and highlight when high losses have occurred. In addition, improved management practices need to be implemented at these key periods.”

Colostrum is the undisputed fuel of life, yet as few as 24% of Northern Ireland producers ensured their calves received sufficient in the first six hours by stomach tubing, according to an AFBI/CAFRE survey reported Alistair Carson, based at AFBI’s Hillsborough. The same survey revealed that 32% on the farms were challenged by pneumonia and 38% had a scour problem.

A recent SAC survey estimated actual scour costs at £44 per calf, plus reduced yields in first lactation. Pneumonia was reported to cost £28 per affected calf, while approximately 157,00 calves die annually from the disease according to Keith Cutler, of the Endell Veterinary Group. “These losses are down to over 50% of calves born failing to get enough colostral protection due to delayed or insufficient intake, or poor colostrum quality, consequently they are four times more likely to die, than calves with good colostral status.” Some essential solutions - maximise immunity by ensuring each calf receives a minimum six pints of colostrum within the first six hours, also check the quality with a colostrometer; improve colostrum quality by better dry cow nutrition, management and vaccination, and minimise disease challenge by good hygiene, he said. Pneumonia can be tackled by calf vaccination, however no single vaccine or any combination of vaccines will provide protection against all the disease’s infectious causes.

Cheshire producer, Martin Wheelton said ‘never underestimate the power of colostrum’. Every single calf from his two herds comprising 675 milkers, was drenched with two litres of colostrum immediately after birth and then returned to their dams. 

Johne’s Disease, estimated to cost 1.5ppl within infected herds, is a major threat due to its sub-clinical nature, according to Peter Orpin, of the Park Vet Group. Typical sub-clinical symptoms are weight loss, poor fertility, high SCCs and reduced milk yield while clinical cases make up 5% to 10% of incidences. Johne’s enters the herd with carrier cows or contaminated slurry from other farms. “The main risk areas for further spread on farm are contaminated dry cow and calving yards, together with feeding pooled colostrum and waste milk. However Johne’s can be controlled by improved farm management for all cows coupled with a test programme.”   

To the future, farmers must reassess their priorities and that essentially means more focus on the calf and its environment, said Volac’s Maggie Gould. “Routine measurement and review of feeding practice, including colostrum, health plans, mortality and growth must go right to the top of the ‘to do’ list. Farmers must also keep up to speed with the latest developments in feeds and feeding systems, and they need to consider applying the latest technology in rearing and health management.”

Back to news