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an indication that they are too cold.


• Heating: Heat lamps can be an effective way to keep the housing warm for calves, and it’s also a cost-effective way to ensure that the temperature is just right. However, Dr Hyde warns that these lamps are a fire hazard, so err on the side of caution. Jackets for calves are an excellent way to keep calves warm, but it’s important to keep jackets clean and dry between each calf so that they are not a hindrance but an advantage in the progress of the calf performance. Check calves with jackets regularly to ensure comfort levels.


• Hygiene and cleaning are imperative. Calving pens should be cleaned out every three weeks, and calf pens should be cleaned once per month.


2. Colostrum – the 3 Q’s Colostrum is often referred to as “liquid gold” because it pro- vides many health benefits. Newborn calves have no immu- nity against disease; therefore, colostrum management should be a major focus on any farm to help calves fight dis- ease and be less at risk of succumbing to disease. The colos- trum collection plan is also important. Research suggests that farmers should look at their colostrum collection plan in terms of hygiene, as equipment plays an important role in the quality of the colostrum. Consider, for example, using scalding hot water to clean the dump bucket or colostrum feeding equipment instead of cold water, which can make high bacteria counts much more likely. The cleaning agent is also a point of concern, Dr Hyde said. “Instead of using par- lour wash or water, use Hypochlorite or Peracetic acid to clean collection and feeding equipment.” This decreases the chance of high bacterial contamination. Dr Hyde further added, “Calves failing to get good immune transfer from colostrum are 1.5 times more likely to get scour, 1.8 times more likely to get pneumonia and twice as likely to die.” He further highlighted the 3 Q’s that serve as a good guideline in terms of colostrum feeding: • Quickly: Colostrum should be fed quickly and as soon as possible – so within six hours of the calf being born to allow the immunity to be transferred to the calf.


• Quantity: 3–4 litres to start within the first six hours of birth, and then this should be built on as soon as possible; “in terms of energy requirements, this is important to get to growth of 0.8 kilogrammes per day.”


• Quality: Colostrum can be tested for quality, and calf blood can be taken by the veterinarian. Testing the colostrum means farmers can understand the concentration of immu- nity and the cleanliness of the colostrum. Knowing what the bacteria levels are in colostrum is important so as to avoid dangerous bacteria transfer to calves – the more bacteria, the less immunity the calf absorbs. A Brix Refractometer is cheap and reliable; it provides the beneft of knowledge about the immunity levels and also allows for testing of how much immunity has been transferred to the calf’s


blood. This gives the farmer insights as to whether to feed a different colostrum of a higher quality to the calf. Although not necessary in a colostrum management plan, pasteurisa- tion of colostrum is a possibility if farmers are struggling to get bacteria levels low, as it won’t affect the quality. “It’s hot enough to kill bacteria but it’s not hot enough to destroy immunoglobulins and proteins,” said Dr Hyde.


3. Daily liveweight gain This is an important factor when it comes to achieving a good growth rate in pre-weaning animals. “This is for economic reasons, and it can affect first lactation yield,” Dr Hyde added, stressing that there’s good evidence that a good growth rate can impact heifers and their performance in the first lacta- tion. To improve growth rate, consider the following factors. • Milk feed: This should be at least 6–8 litres per day by about 2–3 weeks, depending on the calf factors such as breed, etc. Dr Hyde said that it should be noted how impor- tant it is to get calves up to 8 litres per day as soon as possi- ble and as soon as the calf is ready for it. Getting them up to a high level of feeding as quickly as possible is imperative for growth and energy to combat diseases.





In calf housing, temperature is important in growth rate – the warmer, the better the growth rate. Check that housing is draught-free, as mentioned earlier, and that bedding is dry and the level is good.


• Hygiene: In terms of the calf pen and calving pen clean-out rates, cleaning out more frequently leads to better growth rate and less chance of disease. Also, mixing older animals and younger animals is not recommended as it creates the risk of pneumonia occurring, which can have a longer term impact on growth rates and performance. “They can have lung damage and scarring, sometimes for the rest of their lives, which really knocks their performance when they become heifers in that first lactation,” Dr Hyde said.


There is less disease risk when it comes to calves that are well taken care of, therefore they cost less to rear. Making the right decisions not only impacts profits in a positive way but also leads to happier, healthier and more productive animals that will thrive throughout their lives.


The AHDB webinar took place on 9 September 2020. More information can be found at AHDB.org.uk.


▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 4, 2020 7


Newborn calves have no im mun- ity against dis- ease, therefore, colostrum man- agement should be a major focus.


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK


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