Preparing for successful calving

College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), Beef and Sheep Adviser, Ruth Moore highlights that preparation can support healthy cows and calves, ease workload and reduce stress.

Body condition score

Cows should be ‘fit but not fat’ at calving and they should be managed throughout the year to achieve this. The target body condition score (BCS) at calving should be between 3 and 3.5.

Cows with too low a BCS may struggle with colostrum quality and quantity and delayed return to estrus. Cows with too high a BCS may face calving difficulties. Restricting the diet with an emphasis on reducing body condition score is not recommended in the final six weeks of pregnancy.

Feeding quality silage

Target dry cows with silage quality that is suitable for the stage of pregnancy. Average quality silage with a 65+ D value fed ad-lib should be adequate.

Silage is generally deficient in essential trace minerals such as Copper, Selenium, and Iodine, therefore a good pre-calving mineral mix is recommended for the final six weeks of pregnancy.

The growing foetus gains between 75-80% of its total birth weight in the last three months of pregnancy. The cow’s appetite will decrease closer to calving so making sure the energy and protein content of the diet is adequate for this period is important. Dietary protein is especially important to produce antibodies, which the calf will receive when feeding colostrum from the cow.

Vaccinations

Anti-scour vaccines should be given well in advance of calving, making sure to follow manufacturer’s guidelines. Remember these vaccines will only be of benefit if the newborn calf receives adequate colostrum from its vaccinated mother, otherwise known as passive immunity.

Prepare housing

Well prepared calving pens are essential for the health and safety of both farmers and animals. Aim for one clean, bedded calving pen per ten cows, however, more will be required where compact calving is anticipated. Use plenty of bedding in the calving pens and disinfect between calvings.

Have all the necessary items to hand when the busy calving period arrives. Important items include calving aids/ropes, iodine solution for navels, arm-length gloves, calving lubricant, disinfectant, artificial/frozen colostrum, stomach tube and/or feeding bottle.

A calving gate is an essential item on all farms as health and safety is paramount. Adequate lighting, good ventilation and access to fresh hot and cold running water will improve calving efficiency.

Colostrum and the newborn calf

Adequate intakes of good quality colostrum within the first 24 hours by the newborn calf is essential in ensuring the transfer of sufficient levels of passive immunity to the calf.

The ability of the calf to absorb antibodies from colostrum declines rapidly after birth. For this reason, ensure enough colostrum is consumed by the calf as soon as possible after birth (10% of calf body weight within 6 hours). For a calf weighing 45 kg, this will equate to 4.5 litres of colostrum and this amount should be adjusted if larger calves are presented.

When thawing frozen colostrum, do so in good time. Freezing in bags or containers with larger surface areas will reduce thawing time. Overheating will destroy antibodies and do not use a microwave to defrost colostrum.

Consider the risk of bringing disease into your herd via colostrum from another herd, particularly Johnes. Colostrum from your own herd will contain antibodies specific to the diseases encountered on your own farm.

Calving is physically demanding, so ensure reliable help is available when needed. Having extra support can reduce stress and ensures the cow will receive timely assistance during a difficult calving.

Accurate record-keeping during the calving season can help identify issues early on. This information can be useful if veterinary assistance is required later. A mobile phone with key contact details including the vet’s is essential - remember plan and always think SAFE.

For further advice on the management of a Spring Calving Suckler Herd, please visit the CAFRE website at: https://www.cafre.ac.uk or contact your local CAFRE Beef and Seep Adviser.