Cleaning automatic calf feeders: What you need to know

Calves have little to no immunity when they are born and therefore rely on colostrum in order to obtain immunoglobulins to fight pathogens they may encounter. If calves have little immunity it means that they are more susceptible to picking up diseases and becoming ill. In order to ensure that there is minimal risk of bacterial infection and to keep your calves healthy, we must pay attention to cleaning and sanitising equipment, as contaminated feed can be a major risk to young calves.

Automatic calf machines are becoming an increasingly popular option for rearing calves, and although they are a great option when it comes to saving labour, there are some manual tasks that must be carried out in order to achieve optimum calf health.

Read more: Are automated feeders the future of calf rearing?

• Most up to date automatic calf feeders will have an automated cleaning cycle that can be set to cycle up to 4 times a day. This cycle is responsible for cleansing all the internal elements such as the mixing tanks, tubes, etc using hot or cold water along with acid and alkali detergents that remove build up of oils.
• Some machines have a teat rinsing system which cleans the teats by using fresh water and pressure after ever calf visit. This also cleans the saliva bowl which reduces bacterial contamination and the transfer of pathogens between calves.
• The teats inside each station should be changed daily, replacing with a clean one. The used teat should then be soaked or cleaned in disinfectant before it can be re-used.

• The general cleanliness of the machines both inside the doors and outside should be maintained. By cleaning the dust and excess milk replacer spillages with a sponge and warm water will avoid milk contamination.
• Also, by keeping the doors closed and in good repair will stop flies and mice entering the milk mixing area.

• In many instances, the milk machine will be placed in a warmer area of the farm or in a heated room in order to avoid freezing in cold weather conditions. However, with the increased temperature comes the risk of rapid bacterial growth and reproduction, therefore more attention should be given to hygiene in these conditions.
• The general area of where the automatic milk machine is placed should be a clean, suitable area with good drainage for any waste milk and cleaning liquids.
• The floor of below the station should also be kept clean of any muck and straw an scraped daily.

• Between groups of calves, there is the perfect opportunity to clean with hot water and disinfect to ensure there is as little risk as possible to the next group of young calves.
• The drinking station should be washed and disinfected, along with the teats, saliva bowls and pens where the calves are housed.
• Any damaged teats should be discarded as this can disrupt milk flow as well as be more difficult to clean meaning more risk of bacterial build up.