Reared Calves

Purecuntish

Hi All,

Thinking of buying in a few weaned calves. Calves will be off milk and on grass, they will also have received their first dose. Seller who is a friend of mine suggested that they should be dosed every 6 weeks after. Just wondering peoples thoughts on this? is it extreme or the norm? Others i have spoke to who have bought younger calves maintain they only dose once.

Thanks.

Siamsa Sessions

It's a kind of "How long is a piece of string?" question.

Ideally you should take FEC samples and get the vet to test them for worm burden. And then dose if need be. But I haven't always done this and you can safely assume they'll need a dose if they're coughing, loose at the back, a bit off colour, etc.

It depends on what you're dosing them with too. White drench, clear, or yellow dose? It's always good to alternate I think.

For what it's worth, I usually give them a white drench around 6 weeks after the smallest ones are left out. That was mid-July for me last year. I did a FEC test then in early Sept and injected them with ivermectin (clear dose) after that, but I can't remember the exact worm burden result - I just followed the vets advice. Another FEC test in Nov and they got ivermectin again then. That was it for them - nothing since.

farm to fork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058295629/reared-calves

I Bought a batch of reared calves and would have dosed the 3 times. Once using a white oral dose (Albex) and then twice with a ivermectin injection over the grazing period. They then got a dose of Levafas when housed in January after finishing grazing the kale I planted. They are out on grass since early march and they are flying it.

Purecuntish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120569401#Comment_120569401

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Keep up the good work on YT, videos are great 👏.