Cost of rearing calves

alps

Just finished putting 2014 figures together, and a stand out cost was calf rearing. For a number of seasons we have been using Heiferlac powder for our replacement heifers at a rate of 12% in 6 litres/ day (720g) for a 63 to 70 day period we have been feeding just over 2 bags per calf and when I work out last year's costs we spent 100€ per calf. Calves get a good calf starter ration from early and are weaned at 90 to 93kg
Can we reduce the amount of powder we use? Can we reduce the length of time on milk? Is there a better powder or a cheaper way of doing this? Any thoughts appreciated. .

Nettleman

what breed? FR/AA. doubt your costs be any different if you went for a breed that commands a higher selling price? chx maybe

alps

Nettleman wrote: »

what breed? FR/AA. doubt your costs be any different if you went for a breed that commands a higher selling price? chx maybe

Replacement dairy ho/frx Nettleman. Not sure us dairy men have paid as much attention to the cost of calves as we should. They receive 2nd class attention on many farms and as long as they thrive and are healthy and reach weight targets we tend to throw inputs at them, sometimes regardless of costs.

onyerbikepat

What would it cost if they were raised on whole milk only, like the man above intended?
Would it cost that much more, if you cost it at the cost to you rather than sale price of whole milk. Add to that the extra thrive.

Nettleman

alps wrote: »

Replacement dairy ho/frx Nettleman. Not sure us dairy men have paid as much attention to the cost of calves as we should. They receive 2nd class attention on many farms and as long as they thrive and are healthy and reach weight targets we tend to throw inputs at them, sometimes regardless of costs.

Another fault of the epm. the losses dairy men are making on bulls/non-replacements is an integral part of their dairy business, but epm doesn't put these losses up in lights for dairy man to see, reason why, well the synic in me says they'd all be put on a boat at 90 days or culled at birth and some interest groups wouldn't make a turn on that !!!

mahoney_j

alps wrote: »

Replacement dairy ho/frx Nettleman. Not sure us dairy men have paid as much attention to the cost of calves as we should. They receive 2nd class attention on many farms and as long as they thrive and are healthy and reach weight targets we tend to throw inputs at them, sometimes regardless of costs.

I'll make no appologies as to what way or what it costs me to rare my calves.if a calf ain't given a good start and achieve good frame growth as a calf you'll always be chasing her.calf hear gets beatings for 2/3 days then 3 ltrs twice a day until 10 days old with straw and starter ration offered to appetite .from day 10 onto 3 ltrs of water and 600 grames of maverick milk replacer oad slowly building up to 750 grames in 3.5 ltrs .18% p nut and straw to appetite ,each calf will get 35 kg powder to weaning .calves also get 2 shots of bovipast for pnuemonia .very rarely a sick calf on this regime .calves turned to grass from late March and offered best of grass ,moved every 5/7 days and 1.5/2 kg of 18% p but through the summer.calves and yearlings always well ahead of target ,good frames and not fat

RightTurnClyde

mahoney_j wrote: »

I'll make no appologies .... calf hear gets beatings for 2/3 days

Yes , spring can be very stressful but is that not a bit harsh

mahoney_j

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Yes , spring can be very stressful but is that not a bit harsh

I'm running out of wavin pipes,oops

Greengrass1

mahoney_j wrote: »

I'll make no appologies as to what way or what it costs me to rare my calves.if a calf ain't given a good start and achieve good frame growth as a calf you'll always be chasing her.calf hear gets beatings for 2/3 days then 3 ltrs twice a day until 10 days old with straw and starter ration offered to appetite .from day 10 onto 3 ltrs of water and 600 grames of maverick milk replacer oad slowly building up to 750 grames in 3.5 ltrs .18% p nut and straw to appetite ,each calf will get 35 kg powder to weaning .calves also get 2 shots of bovipast for pnuemonia .very rarely a sick calf on this regime .calves turned to grass from late March and offered best of grass ,moved every 5/7 days and 1.5/2 kg of 18% p but through the summer.calves and yearlings always well ahead of target ,good frames and not fat

You feed meal all summer?

mahoney_j

Greengrass1 wrote: »

You feed meal all summer?

Yep and best of grass ,from 0.5 kg to 2 kg with most On 1 kg .different type of calves gg and also a mix of a few bb her and as calves.horses for courses.regime hasn't failed me yet .no dry cows,in calf heifers get meal through winter either.plan was tailored with nutritionist who calls 2/3 times a year.it works

td5man

onyerbikepat wrote: »

What would it cost if they were raised on whole milk only, like the man above intended?.

Disease risk with feeding whole milk to replacements. Johnes, ibr, neospora, etc.

Timmaay

mahoney_j wrote: »

I'll make no appologies as to what way or what it costs me to rare my calves.if a calf ain't given a good start and achieve good frame growth as a calf you'll always be chasing her.calf hear gets beatings for 2/3 days then 3 ltrs twice a day until 10 days old with straw and starter ration offered to appetite .from day 10 onto 3 ltrs of water and 600 grames of maverick milk replacer oad slowly building up to 750 grames in 3.5 ltrs .18% p nut and straw to appetite ,each calf will get 35 kg powder to weaning .calves also get 2 shots of bovipast for pnuemonia .very rarely a sick calf on this regime .calves turned to grass from late March and offered best of grass ,moved every 5/7 days and 1.5/2 kg of 18% p but through the summer.calves and yearlings always well ahead of target ,good frames and not fat

Its abit like the HO v Xbreds debate, just like its hard to put any sort of figure on how much having a lower cull rate is worth with improved fertility, its very hard to put a price on how much milk you lose with a replacement heifer either calving down abit lighter/smaller than she should, or equally as bad missing the cut as a February calver and then you spending the next 2 lactation's trying to pull her back, or possibly having to end up culling her as a result! Certainly erring on the side of caution like MJ is, and not cutting costs on growing heifers is the only way I think also, You might save 100quid on your replacement costs but big risk of you throwing away multiples of this in lost milk over her lifetime.

whelan2

td5man wrote: »

Disease risk with feeding whole milk to replacements. Johnes, ibr, neospora, etc.

have had this discussion with vet, calves need rotavec corona biestings for 2 weeks, if they dont get it they die.... each farmer knows their own farm and what works best for them, from a johnes point of view no heifers biestings should be fed to calves and only milk from negative johnes cows should be fed to calves

mahoney_j

Timmaay wrote: »

Its abit like the HO v Xbreds debate, just like its hard to put any sort of figure on how much having a lower cull rate is worth with improved fertility, its very hard to put a price on how much milk you lose with a replacement heifer either calving down abit lighter/smaller than she should, or equally as bad missing the cut as a February calver and then you spending the next 2 lactation's trying to pull her back, or possibly having to end up culling her as a result! Certainly erring on the side of caution like MJ is, and not cutting costs on growing heifers is the only way I think also, You might save 100quid on your replacement costs but big risk of you throwing away multiples of this in lost milk over her lifetime.

I don't see it as erring on the side of caution or not cutting costs on my replacement stock Tim .and as you rightly point out trying to save 100 quid on replacement rearing cost could turn out to be a much bigger cost than a heifer not hitting target weight ,not calving early and been culled early

welton john

onyerbikepat wrote: »

What would it cost if they were raised on whole milk only, like the man above intended?
Would it cost that much more, if you cost it at the cost to you rather than sale price of whole milk. Add to that the extra thrive.

Might be better off in the calves belly than the tank this year