Top Tips for Tip Top Calves

The pre-weaning period has been identified as the most critical time to influence the future productivity performance of dairy bred calves. Many factors have been demonstrated to affect the ability of dairy calves to maximise their genetic potential and in this paper passive immunity, nutrition, environment and disease are described in detail. Recommendations are drawn from a review of the literature as well as from practical experience in troubleshooting calf health issues on UK dairy farms and calf rearing units. Colostrum provision is advised as 3 litres of first milking colostrum within 2 hours of birth. Calf nutrition should focus on adequate milk solid provision (750-900g/day), maximising concentrate intake and facilitating weaning through a step down approach. Calves should be housed with a constant controlled fresh air supply and in an environment where moisture build up is minimised and which maintains them above their lower critical temperature requirements. Scour control is best achieved through adequate passive transfer, snatch calving and good environmental hygiene, including an effective disinfection protocol. Pneumonia control should be aimed at reducing pathogen replication in individual animals, primarily through reducing stressors and boosting acquired immunity, and minimising spread between calves, through reducing nose to nose contact and aerosol transmission.