Top 10 dairy-beef calf rearing tips

There continues to be a large resurgence in interest around calf rearing and beef farmers buying dairy calves to rear. Farmers that purchased calves in 2024 and selling at the moment are making a very decent margin over costs and that has attracted more farmers into the system in 2025.

While calves are cheaper to purchase, rearing these animals from two to three weeks of age to slaughter is a highly skilled operation. For farmers starting off in calf rearing, outlined are some tips to keep in mind.

1 Start small

A lot of farmers will have lots of experience rearing suckler calves but many may not have any experience in rearing dairy beef calves. When changing system, there are always lessons to learn and do not underestimate the work involved. Feeding milk am and pm and keeping calves well bedded and dry takes time. Disease can quickly take hold in sheds, where hygiene and airflow are inadequate, so try and prepare as best you can If your plan is 40 to 50 calves each year, start year one with half this number to see how the system beds in and you gain experience. There will be issues with housing, feeding and health to address. Fewer animals will make problems easier to sort in year one.

2 Factor in the CBV when buying calves

Any calf that is registered through the new DNA calf registration programme will have a Commercial Beef Value (CBV) Index attached to it. If these calves are sold through a mart, you should be able to see this index on the board.

You will also be able to see the CBV of calves that are entered into a mart on the morning of the sale via the ICBF Mart tracker app.

What CBV you aim for will depend on the breed of calf you are purchasing but if you are buying Aberdeen Angus calves for example you should be aiming for a CBV of around €100.

Calves do not suffer hardship and the less stress factors in the system, the better.

Buying 20 to 30 calves over a fortnight is better than buying three or four calves per week over seven or eight weeks. Buying in dribs and drabs means calves are constantly exposed to a new disease source. It can also mean older calves are mixed with younger stock. That constant mixing raises stress levels, lowers immunity and leaves animals more prone to pneumonia or scours. But calves from a reputable dairy farmer who you know will have fed lots of colostrum to calves.

3 Think about the end market

Don’t buy calves on a whim without thinking about the end market. Have you enough grazing and housing to run animals through to slaughter? Calves born in January will likely finish off on grass, particularly traditionally bred heifers.

March- and April-born male calves with Belgian Blue or Limousin breeding will most likely need finishing out of the shed.

With a bull beef system, finishing animals next May or June will see animals competing with a flush of suckler-bred cattle.

Processing demand and price may be weak as a result.

4 Is existing housing adequate?

Sheds on-farm used for store cattle and cows may not be suitable for calves. A good flow of fresh air is crucial, but not a draught.

That may mean adding some shelter to block prevailing wind. Calves need bedded sheds, not slats.

Clean water is crucial in calf rearing, so make sure there are drinking troughs available at a height calves can access.

Good internal lighting is also a must, especially if part-time farming and working in the yard in early morning and late evenings.

5 Feeding calves

Calves should be trained to feed from a bucket or batch drinker by the time they arrive on your farm, but were likely kept in individual pens.

Therefore, it may be worthwhile penning calves individually, or in small groups of three and four when they arrive on-farm for a few days.

That makes it easier to monitor calves are feeding OK and showing no sign of illness.

Groups can be increased once you are happy with animals.

When feeding milk, use gang feeders with individual compartments, so calves get their allotted milk allocation.

It’s sometimes a good idea not to use all teats on feeders eg feeding 10 calves on a 12 teat feeder reduces the risk of a calf getting no milk at all.

Always wash feeders thoroughly after use and allow to drip dry.

6 Buy a good milk replacer

Buy a good-quality milk replacer around 25% protein.

Stick to the recommended mixing rate and make sure milk is mixed and fed at the correct temperature.

Milk should be the same temperature as if it came straight from the cow.

Feeding milk that has cooled increases the risk of scour.

7 Offer concentrate and straw/hay

Feeding concentrate and a forage such as hay or straw helps rumen development, aiding the transition off milk as the calf grows. A lot of farmers rearing calves would prefer straw instead of hay as a forage source. Calves should be eating 1-2kg/day of concentrate by the time they reach weaning weight.

On some farms, calves are offered ad-lib concentrates to aid rumen development prior to weaning. Continue feeding meal after turnout to allow calves transition on to fresh grass.

Feeding 1kg/day of concentrates at grass is also a good stock management tool. If all calves come to the trough they are healthy and well.

8 Use weaning weight for stocking density

A common mistake is overstocking calves in pens.

Calves will weigh 40kg to 60kg when they arrive on-farm, but will be weaned around 120kg.

As such, stocking rates should be based on weaning weight to ensure plenty of lying space from day one.

Overstocking reduces weight gain and delays weaning.

Allow a minimum of 1.5m2 per calf in terms of lying space in group pens.

9 Bedding

Bedding should be clean and dry at all times, so don’t skimp on straw. Top pens up every day or second day as required. Calves should be able to nest themselves in clean dry straw to keep warm. If bedding isn’t kept fresh, health problems will occur.

10 Calf health

Allow calves to settle on-farm for 24 to 48 hours, then vaccinate against respiratory diseases and disbud horns, if necessary. Use an anaesthetic and pain killer when disbudding calves.

Clostridial vaccines can be given before turnout to grass and keep a close eye for worm burdens when grazing. Herd calves closely each day and make sure every calf drinks when on milk.

Scour and pneumonia will be the two common illnesses to watch out for at this stage.