In recent years, we have seen automatic calf machine becoming more popular on farm, and with recent government grants including machines, popularity has soared. Automatic calf feeders can be a great tool on farm, allowing labour time spent feeding the calves monitoring the calves health and performance.
The importance of balancing energy and protein requirements in lamb diets throughout growth cannot be understated. The same principles should be applied to ensure vitamins and minerals are balanced responsibly, enabling optimum utilisation of the total diet.
Each trace mineral has a different role to play in the body, and although the requirements may seem small in quantity, they are vital to the health and performance of all animals.
Good ventilation systems are essential to reduce respiratory disease in the first months of a calf’s life.
It is estimated that the cost of pneumonia per sick calf is £42.26, with an additional cost of £29.58 per calf for the in-contact group. In turn, this reduces feed efficiency, growth rates, organ development, future milk production and an increased mortality risk before calving.
Research trials have shown that feeding higher volumes of milk can lead to many benefits for calf, heifer and cow performance as well as the farmer. However, as we encourage higher litres there is often some reluctancy due to the following myths.
Finishing time contributes to profitability and sustainability of the UK beef market. As an industry we should be utilising cattle efficiencies and look to get them finished quicker as they become poorer at feed conversion.
When discussing colostrum management, attention is often focused on the calf. However, to produce a quality-first feed we need to begin with the cow in her transition period. Dam colostrum contains farm-specific antibodies making it so valuable to the calves on that farm, providing protection against the pathogens, they are most likely to encounter.
The market is saturated with different milk powders, all with their own niche selling point and most of them promise to provide you with the solution you are looking for (whatever that may be!) I think it is fair to say many farmers look at the oil and protein levels stated on the bag, followed by price per tonne and end up making a relatively uninformed decision.
Two thousand years ago Hippocrates stated that “All disease begins in the gut”. Science research has now recognized that gut health is paramount to calf health.
Calf diarrhea is still a big challenge on so many UK dairy farms; unfortunately, it is often also a gateway disease to other issues, increasing the risk of pneumonia by eight times. Precision Microbes believes “all health begins in the gut” so, we are revolutionizing the gut health market with a unique probiotic and postbiotic liquid.
Life without TB no doubt would make farming a happier, more profitable experience for many of us. Saying this some have adapted within their areas and founded their businesses due to the disease, but we still need to aim to reduce the total number herds under restriction.
Due to improved animal welfare, new regulations and an overall push in the industry, the next topic will not be a concern to all, but it is still an area for improvement.
