Large-Scale Rearing Of Calves

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 10

Large-Scale Rearing Of Calves

rpHE working party set up x by the Agricultural Production Council to examine possible alternative uses of surplus dairy calves has suggested the establishment of nursery units to rear many of the calves to weaning age at 10 to 12 weeks.

Speaking to the Massey University sheepfarmers’ conference this week Mr R. A. Barton, senior lecturer in animal husbandry, outlined proposals for these units and for feeding the calves. Colostrum or “first milk” should be the sole diet of the calves for the first four days on the farm where they were born.

On receipt at the unit, he said, they should be isolated for a week from other calves in the unit.

An example of a feeding regime which could be used in the unit was as follows: Whole milk would be fed for at least the first week

and possibly two weeks, by which times the calves would be nearly three-weeks-old. The quantity of milk offered to each calf would correspond to 10 to 15 per cent of its liveweight. After this period on whole milk the diet would be changed gradually over three or four days to either liquid skim milk or to a reconstituted diet based on buttermilk or skim milk powder. This diet would be fed until the calf was weaned at 10 to 12 weeks. The cost of the foodstuffs, based on current market values, would amount to 60s to 80s a calf. For best results the rearing units should be on freedraining land sufficiently subdivided to permit rotational grazing on properly managed pastures of high quality. In addition shelter and adequate feeding facilities would be required. Provision should

also be made for the isolation of newly-arrived calves and those which were sick. Facilities for weighing calves should be available at each unit. Weighing scales would be necessary for determining the growth rate of calves and they would be needed if the purchase and sale of animals was based on liveweight The control of internal and external parasites of the calves should be practised All calves should be dehorned and male calves castrated a week before their disposal from the rearing unit. Speying of heifers might also have to be practised but probably at a later date. Tuberculin tests on all calves should be undertaken as a matter of routine and without exception.

The working party estimated that six to eight fulltime labour units would need to be employed in each nursery with a capacity, at

any one time of 2000 calves Extra labour would be required at certain times such as when arrivals or departures of calves from the unit were at their peak and also to enable the permanent employees to have time off. The duties of record keeping, accounting, and making payments would be the responsibility of the clerical staff of the dairy factory, meat export slaughter-house or company set up to run the rearing unit.

The disposal of weaned calves to farmers could present difficulties unless forward contracts had been made. The fat stock drafters in the employ of meat companies could play a prominent part in arranging the sale of weaned calves to sheep farmers in the main. These drafters could also make forward arrangements for the purchase of the cattle, either for veal or beef.