As we all know, spring can be a demanding time for farmers preparing for the spring calving season. Whether you’re a seasoned farmer, or you’re new to this side of the job, we’ve compiled a few key points to bear in mind.
Ensure your pre-calving nutrition is sufficient, with access to high-quality feed and plenty of fresh, clean water. At StowAg we stock a variety of water troughs and water fittings. It’s also important to have a good balance of energy, protein and fibre in your herd’s diet to support milk production and reproductive health. If it’s necessary, you can supplement their diet with additional minerals and vitamins – you can find some of the most popular and nutritional options here.
Prepare your calving environment
It’s essential that your calving areas have enough space for your cows to move around comfortably and that they are clean, dry and well-ventilated. It’s a good rule of thumb to carry out any repairs to floors or gates prior to calving.
Gather your essential equipment and supplies
Have you created a checklist to make life a little easier? Consider the equipment you might need to assist you, such as a calving gate, a calving aid or a jack. Calving ropes are a must as well as lubricant.
Once the calf is born, one of the first jobs is to ensure good naval hygiene, including applying iodine to dry the naval out.
Colostrum is gold, so it’s essential that calves get enough colostrum following birth. Keep a refractometer on you to help measure the quality of colostrum the new-born needs.
You can find everything you need and more to assist you in a successful calving season by clicking here.
Having a record keeping plan
It’s super important to have a plan for recording the births of your calves for effective management and health purposes, suitable breeding and genetics programmes, legal compliance and financial planning on farm. Accurate record keeping can help you make better informed decisions about your herd and ensure compliance with regulations.
Brief your team on safety and hygiene
Calving can happen at any time of the day or night. With that in mind, it’s important to always keep your assisting team safe. It’s good practice to be armed with a plan or rota, good hygiene protocols and a system in place in case of emergency.
Is your weighing kit up to scratch?
To step up the output of your herd is to identify and breed from the animals that are producing easy-calving and fast-growing calves – the only way you can track growth is by regularly weighing your calves and cows. Having a regular weighing programme in place allows you to monitor health, adjust feeding and management processes for healthy growth and development, and for financial management.
We have you covered. Shop equipment.
Calving in the Spring brings a wealth of benefits including milder temperatures, more daylight and visibility, as well as increased availability of pasture, helping improve cows’ nutrition and overall health, leading to better reproductive performance and milk production.
From calf milk powders, cattle hurdles, to calving sensors and cameras – we’ve got you covered. Discover our trending products here.