5 Tips for Healthy Calves

There are many ways to set yourself up for success in your cow/calf operation. 

Here are 5 Tips for raising healthy newborn calves.

1.  Spread New Bedding Between Calves

Replacing bedding between delivering new calves is essential.  Giving each new calf a dry bed is a key to prevent sickness.  This is easily measured by kneeling down in the bedding.  If you acquire wetness on your knees, the bedding is too wet and needs to be replaced.

2.  Use Top-Spread to Create a Fluffy Bed for Newborns

Spreading bedding by hand creates clumps of frozen and wet material.  Using a bale processor disperses the material to create a dry, warm environment.  You want to spread enough bedding that allows calves to snuggle in and cover their hooves when they are standing.  This protects them from the cooling temperatures of fall and freezing temperatures of winter.  Ventilation is extremely important when creating this environment.  Fans will decrease calf panting and stress in the heated environment.

3.  Use Equipment to Remove Bedding

Removing soiled bedding by hand leads to transferred bacteria and should be avoided.  It is important to remove soiled bedding between calves to prevent the transfer of bacteria.  Leaving soiled material in the pen increases the changes for infection and calf diarrhea.  It is important to start fresh with each calf in a dry, clean, and warm environment.

4.  Keep Mothers Clean

The obvious action is to clean the mother's teat before nursing to prevent transfer of any built up bacteria.  It is also important to clean the whole body of the mother if she will be in the pen with the calf, so as she will not soil the fresh bedding or affect the new calf when nuzzling.

5.  Separate Calves From Each Other

Grouping new calves together increases risk for spreading illness among your population.  You gather many young ones in a heated space with increased waste production and you create a breeding ground for germs.  Be sure to separate them and regularly maintain their living space whether that is a heated pen in your barn, or huts on a hillside.

 

Proper calf care starts you on the right path for producing quality livestock and saves you money avoiding sickness and calf loss.

Want more tips like these?  Download Top-Notch Machine's FREE ebook:
 

How to Save Money with Cattle Bedding

 

 

Do you have a calf bedding story?  We'd love to hear about it! 
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