Spring calving is just weeks away from starting on suckler farms, so use the final weeks before the first calf is born to prepare for the most important period of the year.
Do not postpone or neglect calving preparations, as every herd owner will have a few cows that calve before their due date.
Having everything ready in advance of calving will mean herd owners are equipped to cope with early arrivals or problems that develop.
1. Pre-calving minerals
While pre-calving minerals should ideally be offered from six to eight weeks before cows start to calve, it is never too late.
For herds that will calve cows from early February onwards, feeding minerals is still recommended and can have a positive impact.
Silage is generally low in trace elements. Feeding supplementary minerals reduces problems such as lethargy at calving, milk fever in cows with high milking ability, cows holding the placanta after calving and weak calves.
Minerals can be fed as a powder dusted on silage daily at a rate of around 150g/head/day or fed through lick buckets.
Giving cows minerals via a bolus is also an option, but be extremely careful when handling animals in late gestation.
2. Clean calving pensCalving pens should be thoroughly cleaned, allowed to dry, disinfected and left clear of any livestock until calving starts.
If calving pens have been used to house sick animals or quarantined bought-in cattle, then it is time to remove such animals and wash out pens.
Sick animals will shed pathogens in faeces, which is why pens need to be washed and disinfected.
Newborn calves coming into contact with such pathogens are more prone to scours, etc, which can increase the rate of calf mortality.
3. Calving gates and lightsThink back to previous years when cows needed assistance during calving, particularly those animals that calved at night.
Are the lights in the calving shed adequate? If not, reposition and replace bulbs with higher powered LEDS.
Alternatively, install new lights to provide greater visibility in the calving pen.
Make amendments to any calving gates for safety reasons and practicality.
Make sure calving gates can swing forward freely to release cows that go down during labour.
4. Calving aids
Make sure you have the calving jack to hand and that the ratchet is working properly.
Invest in new ropes if the old ones are soiled, hard or frayed.
Purchase new gloves and lubricant now. These should be stored with the jack in the calving shed for when it is needed.
Stomach tubes should be clean and sterile before use.
If the pipe is scuffed, discard it, as any abrasions can irritate the calf as the tube is placed into its stomach.
5. Calving cameras
Although there is a sizeable investment required, installing calving cameras is money well spent.
If you manage to save just one calf from monitoring cows via cameras, then the investment will have paid for itself.
Cameras are vital on the occasions you have to leave the yard. They are also a big help in checking on cows during the evening and overnight, without having to leave the house.
Entering sheds to check on cows can upset animals and prolong the labour. Cameras allow farmers to watch cows without disturbing them, helping labour to progress naturally.
Read more
What will the new EU-UK trade deal mean for Ireland’s agri-food industry?
Record retail sales driving up beef prices
Spring calving is just weeks away from starting on suckler farms, so use the final weeks before the first calf is born to prepare for the most important period of the year.
Do not postpone or neglect calving preparations, as every herd owner will have a few cows that calve before their due date.
Having everything ready in advance of calving will mean herd owners are equipped to cope with early arrivals or problems that develop.
1. Pre-calving minerals
While pre-calving minerals should ideally be offered from six to eight weeks before cows start to calve, it is never too late.
For herds that will calve cows from early February onwards, feeding minerals is still recommended and can have a positive impact.
Silage is generally low in trace elements. Feeding supplementary minerals reduces problems such as lethargy at calving, milk fever in cows with high milking ability, cows holding the placanta after calving and weak calves.
Minerals can be fed as a powder dusted on silage daily at a rate of around 150g/head/day or fed through lick buckets.
Giving cows minerals via a bolus is also an option, but be extremely careful when handling animals in late gestation.
2. Clean calving pensCalving pens should be thoroughly cleaned, allowed to dry, disinfected and left clear of any livestock until calving starts.
If calving pens have been used to house sick animals or quarantined bought-in cattle, then it is time to remove such animals and wash out pens.
Sick animals will shed pathogens in faeces, which is why pens need to be washed and disinfected.
Newborn calves coming into contact with such pathogens are more prone to scours, etc, which can increase the rate of calf mortality.
3. Calving gates and lightsThink back to previous years when cows needed assistance during calving, particularly those animals that calved at night.
Are the lights in the calving shed adequate? If not, reposition and replace bulbs with higher powered LEDS.
Alternatively, install new lights to provide greater visibility in the calving pen.
Make amendments to any calving gates for safety reasons and practicality.
Make sure calving gates can swing forward freely to release cows that go down during labour.
4. Calving aids
Make sure you have the calving jack to hand and that the ratchet is working properly.
Invest in new ropes if the old ones are soiled, hard or frayed.
Purchase new gloves and lubricant now. These should be stored with the jack in the calving shed for when it is needed.
Stomach tubes should be clean and sterile before use.
If the pipe is scuffed, discard it, as any abrasions can irritate the calf as the tube is placed into its stomach.
5. Calving cameras
Although there is a sizeable investment required, installing calving cameras is money well spent.
If you manage to save just one calf from monitoring cows via cameras, then the investment will have paid for itself.
Cameras are vital on the occasions you have to leave the yard. They are also a big help in checking on cows during the evening and overnight, without having to leave the house.
Entering sheds to check on cows can upset animals and prolong the labour. Cameras allow farmers to watch cows without disturbing them, helping labour to progress naturally.
Read more
What will the new EU-UK trade deal mean for Ireland’s agri-food industry?
Record retail sales driving up beef prices
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: