Know How / Youngstock management Case studiesSee all CALVINGWhy portable milkers can ease stress at calvingUsing a portable milking machine in the calving pen is the easiest and fastest way to harvest a cow’s first colostrum and avoid having to move a newly calved cow.… DAIRYBovine TB blow prompts dairy farmer to join Longhorn schemePrice security and the ability to better weather a bovine TB outbreak were the main reasons dairy farmer Jonathan Scott signed up to a Longhorn scheme. In 2016, TB hit… BEEF3 weaning strategies explored for suckler farmsMany different strategies are employed by suckler herds across the UK to minimise stress, growth check and hassle when weaning suckler calves. Scotland’s Rural College beef specialist Basil Lowman stresses… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow cow minerals unlocked calf health for Somerset farmThe Creeds are meticulous when it comes to calf rearing, so when animals suddenly started to get sick, it was a mystery as to why – until they discovered their… WHATS IN YOUR LIVESTOCK SHEDWIYLS? New calf-rearing unit eases pressureRearing calves has historically been one of the toughest jobs for the Williams family, but a new purpose-designed shed has made the whole process healthier for youngstock and more enjoyable… HOUSING AND HANDLINGHow to train heifers in robotic milking systemsInvesting time in training heifers to milk through a robot is paying dividends for a Somerset dairy. Introducing heifers to robots pre-calving has reduced stress and ensured a smooth transition… Practical adviceSee all CALVINGWhy portable milkers can ease stress at calvingUsing a portable milking machine in the calving pen is the easiest and fastest way to harvest a cow’s first colostrum and avoid having to move a newly calved cow.… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow to make routine dairy tasks easier with a calf kitchenMaking it easy to carry out routine tasks is essential to optimise calf health, welfare and productivity. Emily Linton of Torch Farm Vets offers expert advice. I walked onto a… LAMBINGLambing shed communication - why and how to improve itKeeping lines of communication open to track vital lambing shed jobs can help higher-output flocks keep standards high. Sheep vet Emily Gascoigne of Synergy Farm Health believes verbal and non-verbal… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow bovine coronavirus is linking pneumonia and calf scourBovine coronavirus has been identified as the most prevalent virus associated with bovine respiratory disease outbreaks on UK farms, and the pathogen is likely to be present on most units.… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT9 tips on maximising calf health and minimising mortalityFarmers should think of calf management in the same way as looking after a baby, ensuring they are provided with a dry, draught-free bedroom, warm living room and clean kitchen. … LIVESTOCK7 practical ways to get calves through a cold snapWhen it is very cold, a calf’s ability to absorb immunoglobulins is challenged because of the direct effects of low temperatures on absorption in the intestine. Farmers Weekly spoke to… Insights FEED AND NUTRITIONExcess copper found to impair liver function in heifersFeeding excess copper to dairy heifer calves can compromise liver function, leading to poorer fertility and lower milk yields in first lactation. This is according to AHDB-funded research at Harper… DAIRYHow early life calf nutrition affects long-term metabolismResearchers are discovering more about early life programming and how critical this is for adulthood, according to Trouw Nutrition’s Dr Leonel Leal. This starts with colostrum, but also includes feeding… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT4 ways to improve on 60-day calf mortality rateHealthy calves can achieve growth rates of 1,080g/day, but just one day of diarrhoea reduces this by 80g. A calf with respiratory disease will lose 180g/day off its growth rate… LIVESTOCKConsumers' views could influence end of cow-calf separationCow-calf separation is “contentious” and a growing concern for consumers around the world. And while they do not understand what dairy farmers do, they will step in and regulate because… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTCalf monitoring and health plans key to future performanceSome 90% of farmers want to make changes to improve the future sustainability of their youngstock management in the next 12 months, according to a Farmers Weekly exclusive survey. Yet… HEALTH AND WELFARECoccidiosis project raises hope for new treatmentCoccidiosis is a perennial parasitic problem in growing lambs. It presents some difficulties in diagnosis, treatment and prevention – but good news could be around the corner. Lambs and calves… LIVESTOCKCalf bottles and tube feeders on testIt is unsurprising many farmers are switching from bottles to buckets with teats for feeding milk to older calves. Our test, carried out over a four-month period at my family… LIVESTOCK DISEASES7 risk factors of pneumonia in calves and how to avoid themBuying calves from multiple sources and feeding calves only once a day could be putting animals at risk of getting pneumonia, a study has found. AHDB assessed data from eight… FEED AND NUTRITIONWhat are the benefits of milk replacer for calf rearers?More than half of all dairy and beef farmers in Great Britain now rear their youngstock on calf milk replacer (CMR) instead of whole milk, with potential disease risks a… LIVESTOCKWhy textbook heifer growth rates may not be good enoughDairying experts at home and abroad are questioning whether units are achieving heifer growth targets of 0.7-0.8kg/day and if this gain is sufficient for the modern Holstein. Concerted efforts to… LIVESTOCKWeaning lambs early could offer big benefits, trial showsEarly weaned lambs can grow as fast – if not – faster than their unweaned equivalents when fed legume-based forages. Research by New Zealand’s Massey University has found with the right… BEEFIs bigger better when it comes to cow size?Finding the right sized cow to suit the system is key to suckler productivity. Farmers Weekly analyses whether bigger or smaller cows are best. A growing number of farms are…
