HEIFERMAX

We are forced to change only when it becomes too uncomfortable to stay the same.

If you dread the calf rearing season because you hate dealing with sick calves, if you begin the calving season with your fingers crossed that you don’t lose too many calves or if, every time you feed a bit more milk to the calves, the shed is covered in scours, then the chances are that your calf welfare is poor and your dairy enterprise is losing big money.

• Calves which have severe scours or bouts of pneumonia will never catch up to their healthy peers.

• Compensatory growth does not exist in baby calves; any weight that is not put on in the first few weeks of life will never be regained.

• Heifers which have been ill will always be at a disadvantage compared to their healthy herd mates.

• Heifers which were sick as babies are likely to breed late; they are more likely to be overweight and to suffer more metabolic disease and calving problems than heifers which are ready to mate at 12 - 14 months.

• Calves that suffer a disease challenge will never be able to reach their potential milk production as an adult.

The financial benefit stemming from improved lifetime production and feed conversion efficiency alone is sufficent reason to improve management practices. If you add to this the current high value of export heifers, the need for a change in what the industry accepts as normal is re-inforced.

Economics is driving change but an even greater stimulus to change is the rising public awareness of animal welfare issues. Farmers need to realise that what they know or consider to be normal may not be seen that way by the city dwelling public.

Making changes from choice is a lot easier having them forced on one by legislation or public condemnation.

Baby calves have evolved to drink milk. Although they have a digestive system comprised of the same 4 “stomachs” or compartments as an adult ruminant, 3 of these stomachs, the rumen, reticulum and omasum are non-functional at birth. Read more »