Calving Hygiene

Hi Everyone,

So we are back to Calving Season again and everybody is busy with cows calving and the stresses that come with that. This stress can get on top of farmers at this time so a few tips to help relieve some of this stress can be beneficial.

Calf hygiene is extremely important from the time of calving into the first few months of life as a newborn calf is high risk of picking up nasty unwanted and time consuming illnesses that will take time out of a farmers already busy life.Hygiene whilst calving is important in preventing a calf from picking bacteria that could cause scours, so a well looked after/ clean calving pen is crucial to prevent this. You must ensure all equipment and floors of the shed are thoroughly cleaned so that the calf has protection initially after birth.

A good cleaning and disinfection routine to all calving equipment including pens and bedding is crucial as this will help to keep any bacterial infections to a minimum. Even equipment such as feeders,troughs etc the farmer is using should regular be disinfected to prevent spreading of any unwanted bacteria.

If a calf is in an environment where they are frequently exposed to different types of bacteria this can cause infection such as Coxxidiosis or Cryptosporidium. These illnesses can be very harmful to a calves health, cause high veterinary bills and even lead to death of the animal.

Space is also a premium when it comes to the calves sheds and pens. There needs to be enough adequate space to allow ventilation and prevent overcrowding. Ensure that pens and sheds are thoroughly disinfected before another batch of calves enter and the previous batch is being moved ojn. 

These are just a few helpful tips that will give calves a healthy start in life and a chance to thrive to there best ability.

Thanks, Brian