Simplifying the calf-rearing system

Aidan Brennan looks at some of the ways farmers have cut costs and simplified their calf-rearing process.

Aidan Brennan

22 February 2017

This is the homemade pipe calf feeder that Athea, Co Limerick dairy farmer John Leahy constructed from six inch Wavin sewer pipe. John inserted 14 peach teats into the pipe which he pulled through the hole and pipe using baler twine. Johnis feeding these 14 calves 45 litres of milk which is 3.2 litres per calf and he says there is still more capacity in the pipe if he wanted to feed more milk. There is a screw on cap at the other end which he unscrews when washing out. Total cost of the pipe, fi

Danny's calf paddock is in a sheltered enough field but he also has a portable hutch here for extra shelter and a dry lie. He can move the hutch around by picking it up with the front end loader.

Danny hung gates on front of the silage pit to keep the calves in. While the walls will provide shelter to the calves anyway, the lean-to roof will give the calves a dry lie in a healthy and draft free area. Total cost of the job was €350 and Danny erected it himself.

Danny Bermingham's calf shelter in the empty silage pit.

When it comes to letting calves out on grass Danny uses portable calf hutches for additional shelter and to provide a dry lie. Danny set up the calf paddock back in December before things started to get busy on the farm. Calves are usually a minimum of four weeks old before they go out to grass and will be on once a day calf feeding by then.

Danny Bermingham from Doonbeg in Co Clare built this calf hutch in the corner of an empty walled silage pit. Danny bolted the two front pillars on the concrete base and used the silage pit wall to support the lower part of the roof

Robert Troy uses an IBC container on the back of a pick up to carry milk to calves which is then gravity fed to calf feeders.

Robert Troy also came up with the idea of attaching a ballcock on to the end of the milk hose when filling the IBC container of milk for feeding calves out in fields or on outside yards. The ballcock is on a bar which is adjustable depending on how much milk he wants. The other end of the hose is connected to the parlour milk line before it reaches the bulk tank. Robert connects it at the drain valve next to the milk filter. This way, then the desired amount of milk is in the container the milk

(1) Robert Troy from Newtonshandrum in Cork made up this handy milk trolley for transporting milk around the farm. The milk can be emptied into buckets from the swinging barrel without lifting it.

(2) The barrel is upright when it is being transported

Robert Troy made these hay racks by cutting slots in plastic drums

As calves get bigger it pays to move them into bigger groups where they have access to plenty of fresh air even on warm days. This farmer built this shed specifically so he could move calves into the shed in spring and yet have the flexibility to use it for storing other machinery, hay/straw and other odds and ends when calves are not around. The key with this type of shed is to face it away from prevailing winds of course. He needs no special head gates as he has bulk milk feeders that sit into

As the saying goes there are many ways to skin a cat. Well the same can be said for rearing calves. The ultimate objective is to calve your replacement heifers at 24 months of age, on target weight, at least cost and at least effort and stress to the farmer. There is a big range in the costs of rearing replacements on dairy farms. Some farmers have invested thousands in specialised calf sheds and feeding systems. Others consistently have issues with disease outbreaks which adds considerable cost, both in terms of veterinary, but also losses when it comes to weight gain and mortality. All of which adds cost and hassle. In these pages we see farmers who operate low-cost and simple calf rearing successfully.

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