22/02/2021
🐄Getting ready for calving season🐄
The success of calving season starts long before the arrival of the firstborn calf!
🐄Calving equipment and supplies need to be obtained and gathered prior to the start of the season
🐄 It is essential to have a good calving gate securely fitted, a calving jack in good working order, two sets of clean soft nylon ropes, buckets, disinfectant, lubricant, two stomach tubes (one for sick calves and one for colostrum management), feeding bottle, iodine for navel dip, electrolytes, a thermometer, a warming box, calf jacket or infra-red lamp, obstetric gloves and rubber gloves, access to warm water etc.. Be sure to order enough calf tags. Check in advance if calving cameras and calving sensors are working. A white board and markers on the wall alongside all this equipment is very handy for scribbling notes, especially if calves need extra feeds or special treatment and if more than one person is sharing the work. Calving information can be noted here for proper recording later.
🐄Preparation is the key. Have calving pens clean and disinfected prior to start of calving. One roomy calving pen (min 16.8m2) with good lighting per 10 cows is ideal. Be sure to use plenty of straw in calving pens to keep young or new born calves warm. An adequately bedded pen is one in which you can kneel down without your knees getting wet. The pen should also be draught free. Get down to calf-level to check it out!
🐄Determine animals’ body condition scores. Mature cows need a body condition score BCS of 5/10, while first-calf heifers need to be at a score of 6/10 going into calving. Then separate and feed accordingly. Also make sure plenty of feed is readily accessible near the calving area.