Tips for successful calf rearing

Always work hygienically

Ensure that you always work hygienically. Don't go from the milking cows to the young calves wearing a filthy overall. The soiling can contain bacteria against which the calves will have no resistance, which can lead to the spread of IBR, Para-TB, BVD etc.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Provide colostrum early

A newborn calf should be given four to five litres of colostrum divided into four or five doses during the first twelve hours of life. Give the first dose within half an hour of birth. The first colostrum contains the most antibodies. After twelve hours the antibody count in the colostrum falls off appreciably.
A calf can take an unlimited amount of colostrum from a bucket fitted with a teat. The bucket must be cleaned daily. Correct administration of colostrum and good hygiene reduce the likelihood of infections.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Keep calf hutches clean

Ensure that the infection pressure in newborn calf stables is not excessive in the winter months. Clean and disinfect the calf hutches immediately after the calves leave, and let them dry out thoroughly. Don't put a newborn calf next to a calf a few days old, it is preferable to leave a hutch empty to provide an intervening space. Make temporary use of another room for the newborns if many calves are being born. This will allow the normal stable for the newborns to be well cleaned and to dry out.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Vaccinate against diarrhoea

Diarrhoea occurs on most farms and can lead to losses as high as 20%. These problems can be reduced by careful hygiene and careful administration of colostrum. In persistent cases the vaccination of cows can give additional protection.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Inject 5cc of iron one day after birth

Today's Holstein calves are so highly bred that they are not really strong enough to manage for themselves. This accounts for the current rise in pairings with crosses. The resulting calves are stronger and have fewer problems. If you nevertheless opt for Holsteins it is wise to give the calves an injection of 5cc of iron following birth.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Disinfect the navel immediately after birth to prevent inflammation

Disinfect the calf's navel after birth. This prevents inflammations which reduce the calf's resistance. The animal will fail to develop well, will have dull hair and will be more sensitive to other diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. A navel infection can also lead to abdominal abscesses, affecting the liver for example. These abscesses may be impossible to treat and usually lead to early disposal or sudden death.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Warm frozen colostrum gently

It is important that the temperature does not get too high when warming up frozen colostrum. If the colostrum rises above 55°C the proteins will be damaged, including proteins which are important in providing resistance. These will no longer be effective. The colostrum should therefore not be heated in a microwave but instead brought gradually up to temperature in a plastic bag or beaker placed in warm water.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Milk replacer is better than cow's milk

Almost half of dairy farmers give their raising calves cow's milk in place of milk replacer according to an estimate by Tjark Boxem of PR. This is unwise in his judgement. It's not just that the cost price of cow's milk is too high, the fat content is also twice that of milk replacer.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Good hygiene is the only measure against Para-TB

Para-TB is a serious and persistent disease. The only counter-measure available is hygiene working methods. This also reduces the infection pressure from other disease organisms. The complete clearing of Para-TB usually takes several generations of cows.
Removing Paratuberculosis or Para-TB from a herd is a real challenge for stockholders. The farm can not be cleared by getting rid of all the infected animals. The bacteria responsible can hide so well in the animal's body that none of the existing lab tests can identify all the infected animals on a farm. There is no expectation that this will change in the near future.
Para-TB can only be attacked through hygiene measures. Calves must have no contact with the manure of older animals. This is the essence of the available control measures, whose objective is that the disease organism should die out at the farm.

The actions to be taken by a cattle breeder to limit the transmission of Para-TB among the herd are set out in plain language in guidance from the Animal Health Service.

Three steps
The Para-TB countermeasures are set out in three steps. Each step deals with a stage in the life of the young calf. The aim of this division is to make the control measures logical and well-organised. Step 1 deals with the birth, Step 2 with the rearing of the calf up to weaning, and Step 3 is from weaning to 1 year old. The control measures to be taken at each stage drive the disease further back. The 3-step plan is to be extensively tested in practice in the course of this year. This will undoubtedly lead to improvements.

Checklists: wield the big stick yourself!
As a way of encouraging cattle breeders to stick to the procedures the system includes checklists to be completed by the farmer. You fill in the date when actions are completed and also the name of responsible person. You can act as though you were being checked, perhaps by your vet.

This allows you to threaten yourself with the big stick, which may well cause you to change your working methods. The suggested hygiene measures will also prevent the transmission of other disease organisms around the business. This particularly relates to the most easily transmitted diseases, including most types of diarrhoea by calves. But a limited number of additional actions will interrupt many more cycles of infection.

Infection cycle is the term for the transmission of disease organisms, their multiplication (with possible disease), their excretion and further transmission. So, by doing a little more the cattle breeder can raise their operation to a new level, reducing the pressure of disease. You could say that the management of the business becomes disease resistant. Working according to such guidelines doesn't just bring financial returns, it also increases job satisfaction.

Small separate age groups
The concept here is the housing of the young stock in small age groups which are kept hygienically separate. This approach combats the build-up of harmful bronchopneumonia in yearlings.
Good hygiene, for example around birth, is advantageous for cows as well as calves. There is a decreased risk of retained placenta, whites and mastitis.

Consultation with advisors
Modifications to the operation in the field of hygiene and disease resistance are best carried out in consultation with advisors. An outsider can take a fresh view of the business. They can see things that the cattle breeders themselves can miss. The first expert to consider is the veterinarian. Vets visit numerous businesses, have the necessary expertise and know how to separate the major issues from the periferal matters.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Hang up your boots

It is useful to hang rubber boots above head height once they are cleaned. A special rack may be the answer. If the boots are hung in this way you can check if the soles are really clean. And no rubbish will get into the boots.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Not all dips act as disinfectants

Some of the sprays and dipping agents on the market provide skin care but have no disinfectant effect. If you use an agent like this as a dip there is a risk of transmitting mastitis bacteria via the dip beaker. You should therefore always use a dip with disinfectant properties. Check the label or ask your vet or the product supplier.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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A new group hutch for newborn calves

VDK-agri bv from Moergestel introduced a new group hutch for newborn calves at the LandbouwRAI agricultural trade fair.
This hutch is designed for five calves from age two months onwards. Up to that age they are kept in individual "igloos". The plastic hutch can be extended, so that in bad weather the calves can move further into the hutch, keeping them warm and dry. The fencing is hinged so the animals can easily be let in and out.
Further information: tel. +31 (0)13 513 36 17.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Calves should be grazed on mown, un-manured grassland

Graze your calves on land that was mowed in the last cut. This prevents Para-TB, lung worm and intestinal worms. A recently grazed plot of grassland may still harbour bacteria and worms from the last grazing. A mown plot is usually free of this kind of disease, unless it has been manured. That also increases the risk of calves being infected. A nice fresh cut fertilised with artificials is best for calves.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Gradually phase in transitions in feeding and accommodation

Spread such transitions over the longest possible period and carry out different transitions at different times. Don't carry out transitions simultaneously, for example one week you might switch from VAR-Prestart to A-brok and another week move the animals from hutches on straw to the grating system. This all goes to prevent the calf experiencing a halt in growth and failing to reach the correct weight when the time comes for insemination.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Prevent stress among calves

Prevent stress to calves by spreading out any changes. For example, wean them off milk first, and then put them in hutches. Only change the calves' rations when they are used to their new accommodation. Make sure the youngest animals always have tasty rations. If the stress factors are not spread out there is a risk that the animals will eat less, leading to a temporary cessation of growth, a higher calving age or a lower weight after calving.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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Milk replacer is better for calves

When feeding milk replacer to raising calves use a product which contains no skimmed milk powder and is lightly acidulated. Provide the milk twice daily at the correct temperature.
Direct rather than ad-lib feeding allows better monitoring of take-up. A product without skimmed milk powder does not need to coagulate, giving less risk of diarrhoea. Ensure that fresh water, roughage and concentrates are available from the second week onwards.

Source: De Boerderij magazine

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