Grober Nutrition

Posts Tagged ‘calf drinking machine’

There are many different methods of rearing calves, however, the most frequently used systems are:

• Pail/nipple rearing, feeding on a twice or three times per day basis
• Ad-lib feeding through a machine.

Pail Rearing

Pail feeding systems require a period of training to ensure the calf drinks well. Individually penning the calves for four to six days is the best way to ensure this happens.

Calves should be ‘observed’ at times additional to feeding times to check for signs of ill health.

An ‘enhanced fed’ calf may require as much as 40kg of powder.

Machine Feeding

Machine feeding has the advantage of labour saving over the pail system, because no mixing and carrying is required. However, a high level of stockmanship is vital for this system, because calves are not always seen at drinking time. Detailed observation of their behavior at other times is required to monitor their condition.

Group housing is the most suitable for this system. A machine can feed up to 30 calves per station. Follow machine guidelines as machines and management systems will vary.

• Pens should also have a self-filling water bowl or water bucket.
• Concentrates should be available from the beginning of the rearing period.
• As with all ad-lib systems, a generous pen area with plenty of bedding helps to counteract the high urine output and keeps calves clean. A minimum recommended space per calf should be 20sq.ft.
• Routine care of the machine, including at least a daily clean of the mixing vessel and pipelines is essential. Preparations for a prolonged failure of either electricity or water supply need to be made.
• The machine must be set-up carefully and correctly to dispense the correct concentration of milk replacer: water ratio as recommended by the milk replacer manufacturer.

Raising Calves in calf hutches

Calves can be successfully raised in outdoor hutches under Canadian weather conditions. Hutch management of calves can be the best way of preventing calf disease.
There are guidelines for optimum results:

Type of Hutch

All types of hutches whether wood or plastic compositions are effective provided:

• the hutches can be easily moved and cleaned between calves.
• the hutches are designed to control ventilation in winter and especially in summer.

Location of Hutches
Locate away from farm buildings to avoid abnormal wind flow patterns. (Unfortunately what is best for the calves is not optimum for the calf feeder!).

Place calves in a well-drained location;

• Best approach is to prepare a site by putting a minimum of 0.8 metre (3 feet) of crushed stone under the hutch. The crushed stone will allow for drainage and dramatically reduce the amount of bedding required in the hutch. Hutches only work well for the raising of calves if they are clean and dry at all times.

Bedding of Hutches
The best bedding pack is a base of shaving with a straw cover.

• Replenish bedding of hutches every 5-7 days (more frequently when weather is very damp).
• Hutches are harmful to the calf’s health when the bedding under the calf is allowed to be damp. Do the kneel test inside the hutch from time to time; if your knees are soiled, bedding is insufficient. Wet bedding is a heat sink and calves will expend excessive calories just to maintain core body temperature. If a calf has a negative balance (because of damp bedding), its immune system is compromised and calf becomes susceptible to disease and will not gain weight. Move the hutches to a new site prior to introduction of new calves.

Feeding in Hutches

• Water:

• Calves require supplemental fresh water especially in summer.

• Unless conditions are freezing, water is best provided on an ongoing basis. Calves that have water available from birth do not abuse the consumption.

• Calves that do have water easily available get onto calf starter sooner and wean more quickly!

• Calves that have water available on a constant basis are more likely to survive a serious bout of diarrhea.

• Best to provide water free choice but when this is not possible, it is very useful in the hot summer months to provide a noon hour water feeding.

• Milk and Milk Replacer

• Never dilute either milk or milk replacer with water (causes indigestions which in turn can lead to serious diarrhea).

• Diluted milk may jeopardize the calf’s energy balance especially in winter.

• Feed milk at body temperature for best results. (38°C or 101°F). (Cold milk can also cause indigestions and be the beginning of serous diarrhea problems).

• Feeding milk to calves at body temperatures in hutches can be a challenge!

• Hay

• Calves do not necessarily need hay in hutches. Before 35 days of age, calves will simply pull it onto the hutch floor and ingest very little.

• There is some evidence that calves that are provided little hay are more adapted to be weaned earlier and once weaned rapidly become able to utilize hay.

• Weaning

• Calves can remain in hutches for up to 4 months but are also to be weaned as early as 6-7 weeks of age and transferred to a group facility.

• If calves are consuming 900 g of calf starter per day for 3 consecutive days, they can be weaned.

Andre Roy MSc.
Sally Charlton BSc. (Hons)
April 2003