Calf Health Archives - Page 4 of 6

Gastrointestinal disease is the top cause of mortality in neonatal calves

Calves are totally reliant on getting good quality and enough colostrum as soon as possible post birth. Gastrointestinal infections more commonly known as scour/diarrhoea made up almost one third of postmortem diagnoses in neonatal calves.

The hidden values of providing calves with dry feed alongside milk or milk replacer during the pre-weaning period

Getting the balance right between milk and dry feed during the pre-weaning phase is vital to ensure you produce an animal that can grow and develop their rumen at the same time to avoid any post-weaning checks and ill-health later. Feeding large volumes of milk for too long during the pre-weaning phase can be detrimental […]

Milk Feeding Calves Once a Day Versus Twice a Day

Once a day milk feeding after 28 days of age is a very popular choice amongst many farmers across the world. But there are definitely a few things which must be adhered to so that the calves perform optimally.

Once-a-day feeding proves very successful for rearing healthy dairy replacement heifers in County Tyrone

Father and son team Kenny and Kyle McIlwaine run a crossbred dairy herd of Fleckvieh x Holsteins and Montbeliard x Holsteins on the outskirts of Newtownstewart, producing milk at an annual average yield of 9,000 litres/cow from twice- a-day milking system. Calf morbidity and mortality is at an all-time low. [...]

Transition milk and its role in baby beef calf performance

Providing baby beef calves with the same colostrum and transition milk feeding as replacement heifers can have a positive effect on both the health and development of those calves and less risk of disease for the other animals on the farm as well.

Pre-calving preparation

From July onwards, we will be getting into pre-calving season and now is the time to start preparing. We asked one of our dairy farmers who runs an autumn block calving herd consisting of 120 Holstein-Friesians (80/120 cows due September), how they prepare for calving [...]

The importance of trace elements for calves at grass

It is a well-known phenomenon that nutrition will impact the health and immune function of young calves as well as adult cattle. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies, or indeed too much of a good thing can alter various components of the immune system. [...]

Preventing heat stress in calves will protect growth rates

Calves are increasingly vulnerable to heat stress as hot summers become more common in the UK. Still, there are steps rearers can take to mitigate the impact on their youngstock, such as including additives in calf milk replacers [...]

Top tips for preventing summer scour syndrome in calves

Early life nutrition is a key player in protecting the health status of young calves. Although turnout is largely dictated by weather and ground conditions, for calves it mostly happens in late spring. While grass is a cheap source of feed, it must be managed well if calves are to reap the benefits from it and avoid issues such as summer scour syndrome.

Calf Health

Top Tips for colostrum- a video guide.

Gastrointestinal disease is the top cause of mortality in neonatal calves

The hidden values of providing calves with dry feed alongside milk or milk replacer during the pre-weaning period

Milk Feeding Calves Once a Day Versus Twice a Day

Once-a-day feeding proves very successful for rearing healthy dairy replacement heifers in County Tyrone

Transition milk and its role in baby beef calf performance

Pre-calving preparation

The importance of trace elements for calves at grass

Preventing heat stress in calves will protect growth rates

Top tips for preventing summer scour syndrome in calves