What does calf rearing mean?

The calf rearing period covers the time from birth to 12 weeks of age. It includes feeding (colostrum, milk/milk replacer, concentrates, fibre and water), housing, general husbandry and health management of calves from the moment they are born up to four weeks post weaning.

1. What is Foster rearing in calves?
2. How long is the calf rearing period when rearing calves on milk replacer?
3. How are dairy calves reared?
4. What weight is a calf when born?
5. What do you feed calves?
6. What age should you wean calves?
7. What are bobby calves?
8. How much milk do calves drink per day?
9. How many weeks do calves need milk?
10. When should I introduce calf pellets?
11. How do you wean a calf?

What is Foster rearing in calves?

Foster-mothering as a means of rearing calves is a common practice in England and elsewhere where in specialised prac- tices up to ten calves are reared per cow per lactation. In these cases, the calves are not allowed to run with the foster- mothers continuously but are put with them three or four times daily.

How long is the calf rearing period when rearing calves on milk replacer?

KEY POINT: The amount of milk fed and concentrate intake determines calf growth rate in the period up to 12 weeks, with the target being to get the calf to grow from 40-45kg at birth to about 100kg.

How are dairy calves reared?

Organic systems

Organic standards in the EU ensure that dairy cows have access to pasture during the grazing season and that cows are fed a more natural diet with plenty of roughage, which is good for their digestive health.

What weight is a calf when born?

The average birth weight of heifer calves born to cows is 43kg and 39kg for those born to first-parity animals. Calves receive 3-4L of colostrum within the first two hours of life using a bucket with a teat.

What do you feed calves?

In the first three to four weeks of a calf's life, the objective is to optimise growth rate. The most effective feed to do that, especially in the cold spring, is milk and/or calf milk replacer. To meet the nutrient requirements, liquid feed can be fed at 17 to 20 percent of birth body weight.

What age should you wean calves?

Though calves naturally wean themselves around ten months, on beef farms calves are weaned when they are around six months old; for dairy farms, this happens just 24 hours after they are born.

What are bobby calves?

The term 'bobby calves' refers to newborn calves that are less than 30 days old and not with their mothers. Essentially, they are surplus to dairy industry requirements as they are not suitable or required for the milking herd.

How much milk do calves drink per day?

Calves should be fed daily approximately 10% of their body weight (1 quart of milk weighs 2 pounds). For example, a Holstein calf weighing 90 pounds at birth would be fed 4.5 quarts (9 pints) of milk daily or 2.25 quarts per feeding when fed twice daily.

How many weeks do calves need milk?

Thus, calves should not be weaned based on age but rather on the basis of their intake of starter. Some calves can be weaned at four weeks of age, whereas others may be up to 10 weeks of age. Calves can be weaned from milk either abruptly or gradually over three to seven days.

When should I introduce calf pellets?

Feed to calves from 7 days to 3 months. Feed dry and approximately 500g of pellets daily.

How do you wean a calf?

Weaning Methods

The typical weaning method is to sort all the calves from the cows, shut the calves up in a barn, move the cows as far away as possible, and then put up with the bawling for a few days. What happens if we reverse this picture? Breaking the dam-young bond may be the most important factor in weaning.