without doubt there,s more work for the first week but treating sick calves and having isolation pens are time consuming as well not to mention expensive. the biggest advantage the big herds would have is a drafting system where they could have all the cows drafted out after milking and let them into the calves then
Calves
- Thread starter podge 23
- Start date
jf 850
Well-Known Member
Somewhat similar here . Calf is left with the cow for 12 to 24 hours , depending on whether it calves day or night . Never vaccinate . Only IBR and lepto . Wouldnt be big into powerwashing , but pull out bedding between most cows , or every couple if big pressure on . Usually spread lime around then , before bedding fresh . I use plenty of straw . Calf pens get a few inches of wood chip, then straw . Wood chip lets weep down out of the straw . Use a shake of bread soda in whole milk , which i think helps . Try and get them eating a shake of meal ASAP .
And if we are to follow the johnes programme ran by Ahi to the full the calves nearly arent allowed to be licked by the cow til taken away.
Our vet has very few dairy clients but 90 % of us in the program since the start.the program is death again slurry contractors spreading disease on agitators , tankers and the pipes unless there powerwashed and disinfected which is highly unlikely going between farms.even no slurry on grazing or silage ground for their 1st summer and winter silage.
Our vet has very few dairy clients but 90 % of us in the program since the start.the program is death again slurry contractors spreading disease on agitators , tankers and the pipes unless there powerwashed and disinfected which is highly unlikely going between farms.even no slurry on grazing or silage ground for their 1st summer and winter silage.
jcb411abuser
Well-Known Member
Man I milk for in the mornings does similar. Let's fresh and lame cows stay with calves in a straw pen for about a week or 10 days depending on how many cows are calving at once.
There could be something in it that fresh cows transition milk would be higher in nutrients and IGs for a few days after calving and that would help boost the calfs own immunity.
I say though if you are having issues its probably best to try to limit sources of dirt and lower variability in the feed and care each calf gets.
But if its working don't try fixing it.
There could be something in it that fresh cows transition milk would be higher in nutrients and IGs for a few days after calving and that would help boost the calfs own immunity.
I say though if you are having issues its probably best to try to limit sources of dirt and lower variability in the feed and care each calf gets.
But if its working don't try fixing it.
Paw
Well-Known Member
I believe calves don't absorb the IGs after 12 hours that's why it's important to get it in them early.
I feed them good silage 70+ dmd a good pre Calver and supplement iodine tablets in the water and vaccinate them for rotavirus surely this is enough,well maybe I might give them a beef nut a week before calving to see does it help.
Like after all that and having to come on again and do each calf with halocure is sickening not to mention the price of it .
Like after all that and having to come on again and do each calf with halocure is sickening not to mention the price of it .
mixed fleet
Well-Known Member
You can't do much more, but it's all in vain if your not getting the beestings into the calf and get it into him quickly.
Just out of curiosity are you dusting the pre Calver mineral on top of your silage and if so do all cows have enough space to get the minerals or are you mixing it through a diet feeder?
Boluses so
nashmach
Well-Known Member
Demand for calves continues into new year
Enniscorthy mart saw a small number of calves brought forward for sale, with prices remaining very strong.www.agriland.ie
3 to 6 weeks old though so half reared almost.
Still big money but a nice timing to go out on early grass
Can’t even give them away here.Demand for calves continues into new year
Enniscorthy mart saw a small number of calves brought forward for sale, with prices remaining very strong.
I’m trying to tempt a local veal producer to take mine for free if I take their slurry...
I'd agree with @Bencroy I started bolusing cows last year for the first time and I definitely noticed a difference in the calves. I threw up a few mineral blocks too and you could see the calves were nearly yellow when they were born and they were up and around within an hour and grand and healthy looking. Last year's calving season was the easiest we ever had and I'd definitely say the bolusing helped a lot with that. Don't have great faith in powdered minerals anymore.
Neat
Well-Known Member
Your overthinking it at this stage, going by the above your doing more then enough.
Don’t over complicate things by the sounds of things your issues are caused by insufficient calve housing or it’s a management issue when things get really busy.
Everyone’s first 4 weeks of calves are a piece of cake it’s from mid March on that there start to go wrong. A good calf house with good ventilation, if you get a smell of ammonia its a bad sign. Fatigue after a busy month of calving takes a toll too and you’d miss things you’d have spotted a few weeks before.
I'd go with the proven preventative rather than clutching at straws
HEX Heifer
Well-Known Member
Hi i have a local man that buys my beef calves. My cows are frx and jex. Sire will mostly be saler with some hereford. What will i ask him for bulls and heifers.
Relationship would be pure business.
Thanks
Relationship would be pure business.
Thanks
So here we are again 26 cows calved all cows done for rotavirus,didn’t do the first 15 calves with halocure but have been done from there on and there is a couple of calves already showing blood and won’t drink until they are injected with an anti inflammatory and phenoumonia injection it’s the start of trouble now again .
Most calves have been taken from the cows almost straight away and feed 3 liters of bestings,and cows have gotten soya before calving .
Calves are impossible to rear here .
Most calves have been taken from the cows almost straight away and feed 3 liters of bestings,and cows have gotten soya before calving .
Calves are impossible to rear here .
Ah feck it podge, its a sickner for it be starting of so soon in the season.you should get the vet to take blood and dung samples of a few of the calves that are showing signs and try and get to the bottom of it.
Few bloods of the cows that have calves showing symptoms would be no harm and try and get to the bottom of it cause it will drive anyone mad
Few bloods of the cows that have calves showing symptoms would be no harm and try and get to the bottom of it cause it will drive anyone mad
What precalving minerals are you using?
Green Grass
Well-Known Member
When I had the problem of crypto ,my pre calving diet was precision cut silage which was highly fertilised and even though cows got minerals ,does high npk levels in silage effect the uptake of minerals .imo the problem is coming from the cow ,would it be worth changing the precalving silage diet to round bales .It should be easy to buy quality wilted silage at the right price this year and switch to this .This would cost you very little as it would only mean you would have spare silage left over your self .Loosing calves is very demoralising and it looks the cows are lacking something