Calf Jackets

TooOldBoots

http://jfcagri.com/cattle/calf-jacket/calf-jacket/

anyone use them?
Would ya recommend,
How long are they lasting?
Any alternatives?
How long do you leave them on for?
Do they get cold after removing them?
Prices?

_Brian

Saw on Teagasc that much of the support is anecdotal rather than actual science supporting better outcomes.

Question is are people saying they are a good job to justify their spend, or another very real scenario is that farmers know calves well and can see a better outcome from using them.

Base price

I only use them if a calf is sick with a scour/pneumonia as they are safer than using a infra red lamp.
Edit - when the calf gets better I take them off during the day and put them back on a night for a few days until they acclimatise. The other thing to be careful off is that calves can sweat under them if its warm weather.

timple23

Big advertising campaign ongoing by a certain manufacturer involving those calf jackets. A lot of instagrammers/youtubers are using them but probably haven't paid for them. As above poster said, Teagasc has researched this.

_Brian

Base price wrote: »

I only use them if a calf is sick with a scour/pneumonia as they are safer than using a infra red lamp.

Do you feel they are as effective as a lamp?? That would be handy. Do they get messy if a calf has a scour, I know they are machine washable but I don’t see that flying here.

Base price

_Brian wrote: »

Do you feel they are as effective as a lamp?? That would be handy. Do they get messy if a calf has a scour, I know they are machine washable but I don’t see that flying here.

Sometimes they get dirty especially if a calf lies down on scour. TBH it's no difference putting them into the washing machine as OH overalls or my chaps. If they are really bad I hose the worst off before putting them in. I always wash them after using them on each calf.
These are the ones that I have.
https://www.kerbl.com/catalog/ShowArtikel.aspx?SKCatalogID=555068&SKLanguageID=2&SKTreeParentID=3411738&SKTreeID=2826635&SKProductID=3783733&siteID=2&siteTyp=1

Say my name

I bought five of them just before the March 18 snow and cold.
They did their job at the time.

I just have them if I think a poorly calf would need one. That's all.

Mooooo

Some sheds are too high and that's part of the reason jackets seem to have become popular. Don't use em here

TooOldBoots

timple23 wrote: »

Big advertising campaign ongoing by a certain manufacturer involving those calf jackets. A lot of instagrammers/youtubers are using them but probably haven't paid for them. As above poster said, Teagasc has researched this.

I think thats where I may have seen them, jezz you wouldn't know what to believe anymore

Mooooo wrote: »

Some sheds are too high and that's part of the reason jackets seem to have become popular. Don't use em here

I have a shed with a lean-to out the back, I find the wind gets funnelled into the shed and makes for a draught. I have a big few bales stacked to make a house for the calves to go into but its not ideal for cleaning out.
The jackets look the business but I'd be worried about the calf sweating underneath and what happens when you remove them, they might be get pneumonia after

Mooooo

Plenty clean bedding, manage the draft as best ye can and give the vaccine at 9 days old up the nose. A removable wind break may help in some cases if it can be put up
Have a couple of jfc isolation boxes if a calf needs some tlc

Limestone Cowboy

Only started using them this year but think they are a great job so far on calves outside. Had a few over the weekend and the weather was awful and as soon as the cow picked them dry I threw a jacket on them and let them off. There was no loss on them the following day, would normally be stuck under bushes shivering with a hump in them.

TooOldBoots

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Only started using them this year but think they are a great job so far on calves outside. Had a few over the weekend and the weather was awful and as soon as the cow picked them dry I threw a jacket on them and let them off. There was no loss on them the following day, would normally be stuck under bushes shivering with a hump in them.

Rough Weather out now for newborns. Any fear of the calf knocking them off?
What size did you order?

endainoz

Find my one a great job aswell, had the first calf last weekend and they were a bit shivery the morning after so put the jacket on them with the cold weather. Took it off again two days later, calf flying it since.

stanflt

I only use them on the heifers- have been struggling with drafts for the last couple years

1373

I have 20 calf jackets. I put them on any calf that’s a bit off . If a calf is recovering from scour or a chill , it’s pretty much common sense if you’re to think about it . They don’t sweat with them on , as it’s usually a calf that needs to conserve energy that gets them. I’ve 50 calves at the moment and I think 6 of them are wearing a jacket because they’re a little smaller than there comrades. I think they’re worth every penny

jimini0

stanflt wrote: »

I only use them on the heifers- have been struggling with drafts for the last couple years

Are they the mayo healthcare ones?

bogman_bass

_Brian wrote: »

Do you feel they are as effective as a lamp?? That would be handy. Do they get messy if a calf has a scour, I know they are machine washable but I don’t see that flying here.

Better than a lamp a lot of the time. A lot of lads have the lamp set too far up above the calf to be useful.
Not really a runner if the calf is on the cow. That’s where jackets come into their own

stanflt

jimini0 wrote: »

Are they the mayo healthcare ones?

Yea

jimini0

stanflt wrote: »

Yea

Seen them on calves around here too. How much are those if you don't mind me asking

stanflt

jimini0 wrote: »

Seen them on calves around here too. How much are those if you don't mind me asking

Don’t actually know - probably around 25-30

ruwithme

Fair enough a jacket on a sick/weak calf.but to use them routinely would seem over the top.

Justjens

Been using one of these on sick calves, for about 10 years, so I can leave them out. On by night and off by day, when you can catch them.

Saved many an animal, although the large can be tight on strong sucklers.

https://www.agridirect.ie/product/cosy-calf-jacket?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6t6ABhDMARIsAONIYyy5QJHDZ-HQCl0qZGkQ__GWnGjT943wHjNJIJ96WQBhxax2GABLiWoaAj9rEALw_wcB

_Brian

I’ve seen them recommend for suck calves reared straight on slats with no straw. Suppose the idea is the jacket replaces the warmth lying on the straw would give.

The advantage obviously is no straw bedding to be buying, slats and jackets should last years so pay for themselves.

No idea of calves on slats do as well as calves on straw.

KatyMac

Do bucket fed calves suck/chew on the jackets of their mateys? I'm considering getting a few to put on bought in sucks?

TooOldBoots

KatyMac wrote: »

Do bucket fed calves suck/chew on the jackets of their mateys? I'm considering getting a few to put on bought in sucks?

idk but it's a good question as bucket fed calves tend to suck at anything after feeding.

For Sucklers, would the Cow not make strange with her own calf when you put the jacket on?

(I'm going to order some just to have them for sickness and weak calves)

Limestone Cowboy

This little lady was born Friday night and a stuck a jacket on her Saturday morning, weather has been absolutely brutal every day since and she has been running around every day when I come to do the feeding. Would normally be stuck by a wall with a hump in their back shivering. It. lashed rain all last night aswell. Its my first year using them but with calves outside I think they are a serious job. They used to often get a scour if they got a chill outside and I'm hoping it'll put a stop to that too.

patsy_mccabe

LC, you might struggle to get them off though. Are you fast on your feet over rocky terrain? :rolleyes:

Limestone Cowboy

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

LC, you might struggle to get them off though. Are you fast on your feet over rocky terrain? :rolleyes:

I know a few lads using them and they said to leave them on until they are bursting out of them. I won't be leaving the ones that are calved up there too long anyway, they need a better do.

1373

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

This little lady was born Friday night and a stuck a jacket on her Saturday morning, weather has been absolutely brutal every day since and she has been running around every day when I come to do the feeding. Would normally be stuck by a wall with a hump in their back shivering. It. lashed rain all last night aswell. Its my first year using them but with calves outside I think they are a serious job. They used to often get a scour if they got a chill outside and I'm hoping it'll put a stop to that too.

Matching outfits

Meanman

1373 wrote: »

Matching outfits

I had a cow calve on Saturday night outdoors and put a jacket on her (30 euros for the jacket in NCF.). She seems happy with it but shur she knows no different I suppose. The question is how long will I leave it on. Would it be ok until mid-March and hope there will be mild dry weather. Would she get a chill when I take it off? Any guidance would be great.

1373

Meanman wrote: »

I had a cow calve on Saturday night outdoors and put a jacket on her (30 euros for the jacket in NCF.). She seems happy with it but shur she knows no different I suppose. The question is how long will I leave it on. Would it be ok until mid-March and hope there will be mild dry weather. Would she get a chill when I take it off? Any guidance would be great.

Once this cold spell is over you could remove it if you get a couple of mild days. Watch out for the jacket getting tight as the calf grows

Meanman

1373 wrote: »

Once this cold spell is over you could remove it if you get a couple of mild days. Watch out for the jacket getting tight as the calf grows

Thanks før advice