Month: September 2020

Increasing attention is being given to animal welfare, starting from the birth of the calf. For this reason, it is important to be familiar with the current regulations and to consolidate the method acquired with experience in the field. In any case, it is important to devote proper attention and time to these newborns who will be the future of the cowshed. Whether you choose a dedicated accommodation such as a calf house or the solution of external calf boxes, it is good to consider some general information, which we are often asked for and which can be a starting point for creating an operational calf house. 

WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED FEATURES OF A CALF HOUSE?

One of the first features is the rest area, which must always be dry and comfortable, receive appropriate lighting and ventilation, and be sheltered from drafts. The various calf boxes must allow each animal to move easily and facilitate visual and olfactory contacts between them, where there are no specific veterinary requirements. After the first 8 weeks, the calves must be reared in groups with minimum spaces and well-defined parameters based on weight. The last, but a very important, feature that we would like to emphasise is that all building materials must be easily washable and disinfectable. Cleaning and sanitation are essential issues for a high-performance calf house. 

WHAT SIZE SHOULD A CALF BOX BE?  

Dimensions vary according to the weight of the calf but also according to the individual directives that your ASL requires, we strongly advise you to set up a dedicated accommodation and not an improvised corner or a generally disused storage space. In the case of calves placed in single boxes, we recommend an area of at least 1.5 m² for the first 30 days, and about 2 m² up to 60 days, obviously this is guideline data that can also vary a lot according to the type of weaning that is undertaken. The focus is certainly increasingly shifting towards animal welfare even before birth. Dedicating or increasing the space in the calf houses, together with other important precautions, allows you to achieve very satisfactory results. 

Find out more about some of the accommodations we have created https://www.antoniniduea.it/en/products/calf-house/

A new birth is always one of the most beautiful events, even in the stable. That’s why we want to dedicate a few minutes to the topic of feeding calves, especially in their first days of life.

What is certain is the importance of administering a good quality colostrum within the first 6 hours of life. This allows the greatest absorption of nutrients, which is very important for growth and digestion. It is also the only way to allow the calf to develop passive immunity, which is useful for preventing some of the most common diseases among calves, such as diarrhoea and respiratory diseases.

Administering colostrum: an important factor in the feeding of calves 

By colostrum, we mean the “milk” from the first two milkings; the higher its quality, the greater the benefits, which is why it’s important that breeders have a reserve kept in the right way, to be used if they do not have it at the time of birth. Colostrum administration is a delicate phase, so another recommendation is to dedicate the right time to it, remembering that this will strengthen the immune system and therefore protect the calf in its first weeks of life. If you do it right, you’ll see the results in the not-so-distant future. 

FEEDING CALVES AND ORGANISING SPACE 

In addition to the calves’ diet, another important factor to keep in mind is the cleanliness of the spaces dedicated to the new-born. In fact, we often see improvised calf pens in small, reclaimed or disused areas. This obviously worsens the growing conditions considerably and exponentially increases the bacterial load, and consequently the development of infections that can be lethal for the little ones. If you check out the many solutions available on the market for creating a dedicated structure with adequate space and ventilation in time, it will be an investment in the future of your stable. Try it!

To read about all our solutions for calves, from birth to weaning, visit https://www.antoniniduea.it/en/product-category/newborn-calf-pens/