MANAGING THE RUMEN FOR BETTER COW HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY
If we’re expecting excellent health and productivity from our cows, we need to make sure the rumen is balanced, from dry-off to calving. Managing this transition properly gives dry cows better condition gain and improved recovery post-calving. These benefits directly impact appetite, which is a primary indicator of rumen performance. Minimising condition loss post-calving helps […]
CALF REARING STRATEGIES
Calf rearing good practice ensures healthy, happy calves!
Approximately 1.5 million calves are reared in New Zealand each year – 1 million being dairy heifers that will become the future herd replacements. How these calves are raised will affect how they grow and at what weight they enter the herd. It is essential to give such calves a great start to life so as to ensure a long productive, healthy milking life. Heifers that reach target weights make successful milking cows and raising them well starts from the day they are born.
COLOSTRUM
Within the first 24 hours of being born, all calves, including bobbies must receive adequate fresh colostrum or a colostrum substitute and this should continue for at least the first 4 days of life because it will protect against disease by fighting infections within the gut. The calf should drink at least 2 litres of fresh gold colostrum during the first 6 hours of life, and then again at 12 hours to get protective antibodies known as immunoglobulins as they are born with poorly developed immune systems. This process is most effective in the first 24 hours after birth and is known as ‘passive transfer.’ Failure to do this, known as Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT) to absorb enough immunoglobulins in these first critical 24 hours, can make a calf susceptible to disease, death and long term reductions in animal productivity. Past studies have found that 10 – 40% of calves are deficient in colostrum which can result in higher morbidity rates and slower growth rates through to 14 weeks of age.
REASONS FOR FPT
FPT is fairly common with NZ studies indicating a 33% prevalence at various intervals during the spring calving period. A number of reasons why calves get FPT are the following: a) the colostrum has inadequate immunoglobulin levels, b) feeding insufficient volumes of colostrum, c) feeding takes place too late after birth and d) bacteria especially Coliforms contaminate the colostrum at harvest, during storage or at feeding.
TESTING & PREVENTING FPT
To combat FPT, it is imperative that you test your calves to make sure that they are getting enough high quality colostrum within the first 24 hours of life. There are a number of ways to measure and prevent FPT:
DRYING OFF DAIRY COWS
With winter approaching you will no doubt be giving some thought to what date the cows should be dried off.
SETTING THE DATE:
Most of you will consider a number of factors when deciding on the exact date and approach used. Among things that will be considered will be, available feed, current cow condition, as well as expected calving spread. Some of you will choose to dry the whole herd off in one go, others will choose to dry off based on current condition, lighter cows first, heavier cows later, or if the calving dates are well spread, the decision may be based more around expected calving date.
DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES:
Many farmers may consider drying off their cows gradually by extending the time between milking’s, however expert opinion seems to favour, simply ceasing to milk the cow causing sudden dry off, as it is thought that this approach minimises risk of udder infection.
THINGS TO CONSIDER: