The health of any animal relies on the balance between an internal immune system and the external challenges of viruses and bacteria. When assessing calf-rearing systems, we find moisture, energy and temperature associated with most environments and related jobs. When we look to reduce bacterial counts or bacterial load on equipment or milk, it is sensible to try to eliminate one or more of their breeding requirements.
Far too often calf rearers get caught up blaming “uncontrollable factors”, mainly the weather, for poor growth rates or poor health in their calves. But arguably, doing a better job of things that are within our control would produce a stronger calf able to deal with additional challenges.
Falling temperatures mean that calves will have less energy available for growth and for immune function. To maintain targeted performance, they will require additional feed and management.
As a country, the UK prides itself as having one of the highest welfare standards where all of the basic needs of farmed animals are met. Over the last few years, production has increased which has included the installation of new parlours, adult cow housing and slurry storage. All this is to meet the demand of the consumer, but often, one thing that has remained the same is calf housing.
There has been a lot of discussion recently in regards to whether to group or individually house neonatal calves. The trend has been to put calves into individual pens, with individual hutches being particularly popular. The main reason for this trend was down to health and disease control, however, recent research has evidence to the contrary, suggesting that pair housing of neonatal calves may indeed improve both growth and welfare by encouraging greater feed intake, development of normal social behaviours, and by reducing stress and helping with weight gain at the time of weaning.
