Discussion on Calf Rearing in Large and Expanding Herds

Kovu

Ardboyne Hotel Navan Tuesday 21st Oct 10:15 a.m.

Speakers/Itinerary on the day

10.30-11.00am
Milk and dry feed nutrition for youngstock to produce heifers and cows that perform;
Joe Murphy and Richard Moore(Bonanza Calf and Thompsons)

11.00-11.30am
Tips to getting a Gold Cup winning herd;
Michael Miller RABDF Gold Cup Winner 2012

11.30-12.00pm
Prevent key infections in calves;
Roger Blowey BSC BVSC FRCVS

12.00-12.30pm
Current and previous youngstock management and why new shed required;
David Reynolds

12.30-1.30pm - Light refreshments

1.45pm
Visit new calf accommodation at Christy and David Reynold’s farm - (Gillstown dairy farm, Walshestown, Navan)

There'll be a few buses from the hotel to the farm.
If anyone can recall (or look in the corner where it's thrown!) the new calf shed was in the journal a few weeks back.

mahoney_j

Kovu wrote: »

Ardboyne Hotel Navan Tuesday 21st Oct 10:15 a.m.

Speakers/Itinerary on the day

10.30-11.00am
Milk and dry feed nutrition for youngstock to produce heifers and cows that perform;
Joe Murphy and Richard Moore(Bonanza Calf and Thompsons)

11.00-11.30am
Tips to getting a Gold Cup winning herd;
Michael Miller RABDF Gold Cup Winner 2012

11.30-12.00pm
Prevent key infections in calves;
Roger Blowey BSC BVSC FRCVS

12.00-12.30pm
Current and previous youngstock management and why new shed required;
David Reynolds

12.30-1.30pm - Light refreshments

1.45pm
Visit new calf accommodation at Christy and David Reynold’s farm - (Gillstown dairy farm, Walshestown, Navan)

There'll be a few buses from the hotel to the farm.
If anyone can recall (or look in the corner where it's thrown!) the new calf shed was in the journal a few weeks back.

That should be a very interesting and informative day might try get to that

Kovu

mahoney_j wrote: »

That should be a very interesting and informative day might try get to that

If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them!

Greengrass1

Would be a great day unfortunately ive a dg meeting following day. Wont be able to takr two days off

frazzledhome

I think I'm going to that. Thanks for posting Kovu.

Deepsouthwest

We called to that Reynolds farm on the way home from our trip to the north, v sound straight talking men. Super calfhouse, and not rocket science either. They've changed their whole calf rearing set up, got rid of an automatic feeder, and back to individual headlocking and individual buckets. Not a milk bar feeder to be found in the place. Can't help thinking that they might have thrown the baby out with the bathwater though, maybe it was just they're housing was the problem.

darragh_haven

Kovu wrote: »

If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them!

Do you have to pre-book or can you just rock up on the day.

Kovu

Just turn up Darragh

stanflt

Pints after anyone!!

visatorro

stanflt wrote: »

Pints after anyone!!

Sounds like a plan!!

rangler1

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

We called to that Reynolds farm on the way home from our trip to the north, v sound straight talking men. Super calfhouse, and not rocket science either. They've changed their whole calf rearing set up, got rid of an automatic feeder, and back to individual headlocking and individual buckets. Not a milk bar feeder to be found in the place. Can't help thinking that they might have thrown the baby out with the bathwater though, maybe it was just they're housing was the problem.

Yea, I've seen great looking sheds causing problems, and sheds that you think couldn't work, rearing great calves

darragh_haven

stanflt wrote: »

Pints after anyone!!

Yeah. No bother. I'll have stay in your gaff stan. Too far to get a taxi back to west cork

mahoney_j

stanflt wrote: »

Pints after anyone!!

U buying??????

stanflt

mahoney_j wrote: »

U buying??????

I will if your coming up- mini walk here after if anyone is interested

awaywithyou

jesus id be tempted....!

if that farm is the one im thinking of from my time there.. he has one massive cubicle shed built 4/5 yrs ago...?

dar31

Going to try and make it, looks very interesting, any idiot can milk cows, calf rearing that's another ball game

frazzledhome

awaywithyou wrote: »

jesus id be tempted....!

if that farm is the one im thinking of from my time there.. he has one massive cubicle shed built 4/5 yrs ago...?

He has 1 massive field of OC's now 500 in all

whelan2

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

We called to that Reynolds farm on the way home from our trip to the north, v sound straight talking men. Super calfhouse, and not rocket science either. They've changed their whole calf rearing set up, got rid of an automatic feeder, and back to individual headlocking and individual buckets. Not a milk bar feeder to be found in the place. Can't help thinking that they might have thrown the baby out with the bathwater though, maybe it was just they're housing was the problem.

what was wrong that they got rid of everything? I dont use the milk bar feeders here at all/ Think it will be an interesting day, I will look forward to hearing some reports back about it. Interestingly I dont see any mention of feeding/vaccination of the cow pre calving in the discussion, imo this is as important as all the other topics

_Brian

Is that individual buckets with teats.

Pity some if these days aren't recorded and thrown up onto YouTube.

Deepsouthwest

frazzledhome wrote: »

He has 1 massive field of OC's now 500 in all

Could be wrong, but dont think this man has outdoor cubicles, he has a huge shed alright, but it's roofed. Fine herd of cows, but don't think they're the "outdoor cubicle type of cow"! It is individual buckets, without teats, and all calves in headlocking rails while they drink to stop bullying.

Milked out

No harm to have a thread like this on the subject going, esp when a few will be heading to stuff like in the op and can report back. On the feeding without teats we did that one year but found we got too many nutritional scours. We put it down to them drinking too fast.

frazzledhome

frazzledhome wrote: »

He has 1 massive field of OC's now 500 in all

Sorry wrong guy

frazzledhome

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Could be wrong, but dont think this man has outdoor cubicles, he has a huge shed alright, but it's roofed. Fine herd of cows, but don't think they're the "outdoor cubicle type of cow"! It is individual buckets, without teats, and all calves in headlocking rails while they drink to stop bullying.

You're right I got wrong guy

whelan2

Milked out wrote: »

No harm to have a thread like this on the subject going, esp when a few will be heading to stuff like in the op and can report back. On the feeding without teats we did that one year but found we got too many nutritional scours. We put it down to them drinking too fast.

i suppose every ones system is different and people do what works best for them.

Milked out

whelan2 wrote: »

i suppose every ones system is different and people do what works best for them.

Agreed if it's working for you no need to change it especially with calves, will be a handy thread to pick up a few things if needed

_Brian

Milked out wrote: »

No harm to have a thread like this on the subject going, esp when a few will be heading to stuff like in the op and can report back. On the feeding without teats we did that one year but found we got too many nutritional scours. We put it down to them drinking too fast.

Would agree about drinking from the buckets.. The sucking action also releases more saliva which increases enzymes to break down milk.
Each to their own..

Cow Porter

_Brian wrote: »

Would agree about drinking from the buckets.. The sucking action also releases more saliva which increases enzymes to break down milk.
Each to their own..

Have bucket fed calves here up to a few years ago, all milk bar now

Would wonder wad the auto feeder thrown out cos of cost in a large herd? See Tom browne has them for his 800 calves though.

If johnes is an issue mixing milk replacer is labour intensive enough in a large herd.
It makes sense for them to drink slower

See this video


http://youtu.be/KX0H8d2EsAU

frazzledhome

This still happening? Saw no other notice

ganmo

yup

stanflt

frazzledhome wrote: »

This still happening? Saw no other notice

You still going

I'll be at the farm part in the afternoon

Give me a buzz if your heading

whelan2

can someone take some pics please, going to a funeral so wont make it.

dar31

Whose organising it. As frazzle said seen no other notice for it

whelan2

dar31 wrote: »

Whose organising it. As frazzle said seen no other notice for it

is it not kovu I am assuming its feed companies as a good few reps are talking

td5man

dar31 wrote: »

Whose organising it. As frazzle said seen no other notice for it

Was a very small bit in IFJ about it.

frazzledhome

stanflt wrote: »

You still going

I'll be at the farm part in the afternoon

Give me a buzz if your heading

On the road, bfast roll and strong coffee

Buzz ya later

darragh_haven

I'm the first one here by the look of it. They're expecting a good crowd by the amount of chairs out

frazzledhome

darragh_haven wrote: »

I'm the first one here by the look of it. They're expecting a good crowd by the amount of chairs out

I've arrived, looks like it'll be intimate:)

_Brian

frazzledhome wrote: »

I've arrived, looks like it'll be intimate:)

Shame if it's not well supported. I'd have thought given the weather today lads would turn out. And god knows there aren't many that couldn't do with learning more about raising sucks, every little helps with them feckrs.

Timmaay

Won't make it, too much on this week. As whelan said, a few photos would be great!

On the buckets v batch feeders v compartment feeders, we switched over from buckets to one 10 teat batch feeder this year, and I gave a hell of a lot more attention to the calves. Grouped them by size/strength, we lost very few against other years. I still got a few issues to iron out but getting there, buckets were just too slow and awkward for us, and the slower/weaker calves would suffer as you were under too much pressure with time. It's all a bit like the HO v JEx etc debate, each system can work well, but needs the right person managing/implementing it to make it work!

darragh_haven

frazzledhome wrote: »

I've arrived, looks like it'll be intimate:)

Very intimate..... I'll have a full row of seats yo myself

Greengrass1

darragh_haven wrote: »

Very intimate..... I'll have a full row of seats yo myself

Sure all the more attention you can ger from the teachers

RightTurnClyde

Pity it's so far up the country, something I wouldn't have minded going to.

dar31

Quite alright
Should be no shortage of light refreshments

frazzledhome

Actually very interesting and crowd arriving

Deepsouthwest

darragh_haven wrote: »

I'm the first one here by the look of it. They're expecting a good crowd by the amount of chairs out

Something that might interest u Darragh, (and it'll prob mentioned during the visit anyway) but the Reynolds lads are also in the process of setting up an anaerobic digester, maybe u could sell them one!

darragh_haven

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Something that might interest u Darragh, (and it'll prob mentioned during the visit anyway) but the Reynolds lads are also in the process of setting up an anaerobic digester, maybe u could sell them one!

One of them wss already up with us about a year ago. Sales man is still in contact with them

Kovu

Good to see some of ye made it But no, not me organising it:eek:

Haven't milked in this house in almost 20 years!

Nekarsulm

Was a bit surprised there was no discussion of vaccinations for calves etc. but suppose was mainly aimed for the dairy herd's own calves, rather than a lad buying in some.
Brave airy shed for the calves, all right. The vet who spoke was an interesting character.

visatorro

couldn't make it either, I'm going to have to give up the day job!

frazzledhome

Was late started so I'd say some issues got glossed over.
Hol breeder from UK could've been left out added nothing to discussion.
Older experienced vet was very good and should've had the lions share of time.
Excellent calf shed, not what you'd expect. I know my mother would be busy keeping out the wind. It was a windy cool day and calves were happy out.

Main points from my notes are
Colostrum 3.5 litres within 2 hrs of birth. It needs to be quality fed in a hygienic manner. Calf needs 20 mins sucking to get enough so manual feeding preferred.

If your pooling colostrum all buckets need to be spotless and it needs to be refrigerated. Stomach tube needs to be spotless.

Whole milk or colostrum for 7 days TAD
8-14 days milk rep OAD 625gms
15-weaning 700 gms made up to 5.5 litres

Hygiene and routine very important

Wean inside reared when eating 1.25 kg ration for 3 days
Outside reared at 84 days or 100kgs

The fewer calves per group the less resp issues with calves

1 stress event at a time. For instance don't wean and vaccinate the same day, don't dehorn and move to OAD the same day

An abundance of straw with clean fresh water and ration essential.

Hay not recommend as leads to check post weaning. Ration v pellets, no difference

Maintain meal feeding level post weaning till wk12

darragh_haven

Over all a very informative day, especially for someone like me that hasn't reared calves for a few years, but i think more experienced heads learned a lot too. Good to see the simplicity of design of the Reynolds's calves pens, even tho i suspect it might need modification for coastal west cork.
Kovu. if you come across other information days like this make a thread for it. It seems to have been poorly advertised, but well worth the day out