Spring calving is kicking off on a number of the programme farms and brings with it the most important management period of the year.

Getting as many live calves on the ground as possible ultimately increases herd output, which generates more income.

For a herd of 50 cows selling 40 weanlings per annum, weaning one additional calf is worth an additional £750 to £850 in output.

Increasing the average weaning weight of the 40 calves by 10kg, and at a sale value of £2/kg, will generate the same income as weaning one extra calf but can be harder to achieve.

Outlined are 10 basic management steps to focus on at calving. Following these steps should help improve management at calving time, resulting in more live calves on farm.

1 Feed cows to appetite

Cows should be fed silage on an ad-lib basis around two weeks prior to calving, as the animal’s energy requirement increases and rumen capacity is restricted in late pregnancy.

Cows should be calving down in a fit condition. For cows that are calving in March, but still carrying too much flesh, do not try to restrict the feeding of these animals.

It is too late to correct body condition in such animals, and heavily restricting silage intakes will cause metabolic problems in cows.

But for cows calving in April and May, there is still time to correct body condition by mixing straw with silage, or partially restricting intakes by 10% to 20%, or 5kg to 10kg/head.

Make sure cows are properly covered for pre-calving minerals when feeding straw or restricting silage intakes.

2 Feeding late at night

Cows that calve in the middle of the night generally get less assistance during labour than cows calving during the day.

So the more cows calving in daylight hours, the better. Feeding cows late in the evening, ideally around 6pm to 9pm, can reduce the number of animals calving during the night.

Push in the uneaten silage in the morning. Do not be tempted to put in an extra grab of fodder during the afternoon to keep animals going.

When you get the feeding balance right, the feed passage should only be clear for two to three hours at most, before fresh fodder is offered.

3 Move to straw-bedded loose pens

Where cows have been wintered on slats, it is a good idea to start moving animals to straw-bedded loose pens around one week before their expected calving date.

This gives cows time to settle in their new environment. With the reduced stocking density and clean bedding, there is less risk of mis-mothering, calves being injured, or picking up an infection as when born on slats.

4 Straw, straw, straw

When it comes to calving pens, clean straw bedding is a must. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to kneel on bedding without feeling any dampness.

As a newborn calf hits the ground, its navel will be face down in bedding. If straw is wet and heavily soiled, then there is a greater chance of the calf picking up an infection.

Always apply fresh straw and hydrated lime to pens between each use. Ideally, clean pens out as often as possible.

5 When to intervene

Being too eager to intervene can create more problems than not intervening. Trying to pull the calf when the cow has not opened properly increases calving problems and mortality.

Once the cow has presented the water bag, you can step in and check the presentation of the calf. Make sure the fluids in the bag are clear. If there is a reddish tint, step in and investigate early.

If the calf is correctly presented, leave the cow alone to calve on her own. If there has been no progress after two hours, step in and start assisting the cow. Reduce this time period to one hour for heifers.

6 Know what is normal and make an early call

When you do intervene to check the calf’s position, it is important you know what you are checking for.

This is the time to correct any limbs that are not in the correct position. Check around the head and feet for space.

If you cannot get your hand behind the calf’s head, this is an early sign that the birth canal is too tight and veterinary assistance may be needed.

If the calf’s legs feel crossed, or the cow is forcing during contractions, this is a good indication that the calf is big in size and a caesarean may be necessary.

When the cow is calving, the head should be presented around one hour after the feet. If the calf has a swollen tongue as a result of a hard calving, it will be less likely to suckle its mother. Therefore stomach tubing colostrum into the calf will be necessary.

7 Hygiene

Anytime a cow is being handled during the calving process, make sure you are wearing clean gloves and always use lubricant.

8 Applying the ropes and jack

Use coloured ropes as they can be easily coordinated to each leg, for example, put red to the right leg and blue on left. This way, you will always attach the correct rope to the correct side of the jack.

Once the jack is applied, it is should be used to lever downwards as the cow pushes, then straightened and tighten the slack in the rope.

When the calf is coming in a forward position, and the head is out, relax the tension on the jack for brief periods as this allows the calf to breathe.

But if the calf is coming backwards, the navel cord is pinched, so working quickly is essential to get the animal out and breathing.

If born backwards, do not hang the calf over a gate to drain fluid. Simply raise the calves back legs on the jack, while allowing its body to rest on the floor for a period of one to two minutes, then relax.

9 Colostrum and treat naval

Once born, the calf’s navel should be treated as quickly as possible and monitor the calf to ensure it gets plenty of colostrum in the first 24 hours of life.

The calf should have at least 20 minutes of continuous sucking within the first six hours of life.

10 Don’t forget the cow

After a difficult calving, the cow is often overlooked. The animal will have lost between 40l and 60l of fluid and can be dehydrated, which delays the let down of milk.

Make sure the cow has unlimited access to water and some form of fresh feed to stimulate appetite. In the case of a hard calving, give the cow pain relief, and if handled internally, an antibiotic should also be administered.

Giving the cow pain relief with stimulate the animal to eat, drink and lick the calf much sooner.

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