Know How / Youngstock management Case studiesSee all YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow passive transfer testing gives calves a good startOn-farm blood testing to check dairy calves for successful passive transfer from colostrum has helped a 780-cow herd validate its protocols. Within six months, correlating the outcomes with calf health,… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow spring block calver uses nurse cows to rear replacementsEase of management is the driver for a family farm in east Devon to leave the job of rearing heifer replacements to the cows themselves. Tim Wall, who runs a… DAIRYGrant brings 'excellent' improvements to youngstock handlingFor his youngstock, spring block-calver Rupert Major installed an “excellent” curved handling facility instead of an “average” one to meet the requirements for Defra funding two years ago. Farmers Weekly… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTBenefits of dedicated calf rearer for split block-calverFeeding calves is not a low-ranking job at Lower Park Farm. Instead, an employee dedicated to calf rearing is considered the key to consistency in feeding, weighing and following protocols… WHATS IN YOUR LIVESTOCK SHEDWhat’s in Your Livestock Shed? visits a converted calf shedHistorically, a high incidence of pneumonia had impacted calf health at The Brook, Tybroughton, near Whitchurch, Shropshire, and there were consequences for performance when animals joined the milking herd. In… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTBeetle-friendly parasite policy saves £8 a cowAn environmentally conscious dairy farmer has cut youngstock treatments by 70% thanks to a pioneering multi-pronged approach to parasite management including dung beetles. Spring block-calver Bruce Thompson at Camcloon Dairy,… Practical adviceSee all YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTWhy enough space to feed is vital for heifer health and growthPaying attention to feed and water access for replacement heifers is the key to ensuring coccidiosis prevention works – and that youngstock can achieve their growth targets. Adding medicine such… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTWhy a simple, repeatable system is key for calf rearingAttention to detail and consistency are the keys to success with calves, according to consultant vet Tommy Heffernan. It sounds simple, he says, but in practice, remains hard to achieve… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTBenefits of a calf cart for moving newborn calvesInvesting in a calf cart (or trolley) may be the key to keeping staff happy and healthy. The aim of calf transport is to move calves hygienically and safely between… DAIRYFive ways to achieve zero treatments and losses in calvesGetting the basics right – consistently – and putting calves first led to a four-year period of zero treatments and zero losses in calves for Canadian vet and dairy farmer… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTGrazing kale v fodder beet: Which is best for youngstock?To farmers who are unfamiliar with winter grazing fodder crops, kale and fodder beet can appear to provide very similar feeds. In fact, there are many points of difference, from… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTAdvice on minimising disease risks in market-bought calvesCalf rearers buying stock from the mart should accept that the disease risk will be high and plan with their vet to create a farm-specific approach to calf health. There… Insights YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTBenefits of lung scanning for respiratory disease in calvesA study involving eight commercial dairy farms has flagged up the value of scanning calf lungs for respiratory disease damage. Some two-thirds of the animals found with lesions had never… FEED AND NUTRITIONCopper in dairy rations: Is too much as bad as too little?Evaluating copper levels in every feed source and supplement before formulating rations for dairy cows – and youngstock – will help meet animal requirements but prevent overfeeding and protect animal… LIVESTOCKHow a farm vet team cut antibiotics use in calf castrationsAntibiotics use in surgical calf castration by a south of England vet practice fell by nearly 60% in one year following a clinical audit. Tonia Simms, clinical director at Hampden… LIVESTOCKWhy a congenital defect could cause calf lossesAsk a dairy or beef farmer if they have ever had a calf born with atresia, a condition commonly known as “waterbelly”, and the chances are they will say no.… LIVESTOCKBenefits of giving dairy calves toys on farmGiving dairy calves plastic “toys” to play with helps them express their natural behaviour which, in turn, benefits their mental wellbeing. As a result, they are less likely to display… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTHow a ‘big squeeze’ could help dummy calves to suckNeonatal maladjustment syndrome in calves – also known as “dummy calf” syndrome – can be a challenge for dairy farmers to manage, often requiring extra labour to tube-feed youngstock. Typically,… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTLack of heifer weight data costs US dairiesTiming first service in a maiden heifer to when she has reached a given percentage of mature bodyweight (not just her age) is essential to maximise genetic potential and future… YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENTTrial compares performance of whey protein v whey powderUsing a whey protein-based milk replacer, over a whey powder-based alternative, could increase saleable milk yields by almost £500 a heifer. This is according to research presented by Volac’s global… 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…
