• Worming – dependent on grazing policy • Discuss with farm vet any areas of concern and testing required to ensure effective prevention and treatment protocols are in place
Accommodation
Individually pen for the first three weeks in accommodation that provides optimum ventilation without draughts but which has sufficient shelter from the cold, wind and rain. Ensure dry and clean bedding is available. From three weeks to weaning, pen in groups of five to 10 and leave in the same group until at least 10 days post weaning, after which they can be introduced to larger groups and cubicles if necessary. Do not house in the same area as adult cattle until at least six months.
WEANING Wean calves when they are eating approximately 2kgs concentrate per day for three consecutive days. At this stage they should be 12% to 15% mature cow weight.
POST WEANING
Aim for your replacements to grow frame without laying down fat in order to optimise fertility as well as future milk production. For optimum rumen development, feed straw or hay until at least four months of age. Diets should remain grass silage free and access to pasture should be avoided.
Forage, hay v straw? It doesn’t matter. What’s crucial is that the forage is chopped ideally less than 40mm in length. Remember to analyse.
Health
• Calf jackets for first three to four weeks of life depending on external temperatures
• Vaccinations – use individual farm risks to develop protocol. Consider BVD, Lepto, IBR, RSV, PI3, scour
Implement a disease control strategy to optimise health and future production taking in worming and fluke control protocols, lungworm prevention, vaccination programmes for pneumonia and scour, and on farm management to help control Johne’s disease. Remember, getting the heifers off to the best start will pay dividends later on. Heifers calving down at 22 to 23 months are more likely to reach second lactation and spend 48% of their lives producing milk, compared with heifers calving at 32 to 36 months – they spend just 18% of their lives in milk.
THE JOURNAL AUGUST 2014 93
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