Calf care for first 24 hours crucial

When bringing calves from the paddock to the shed, make sure the trailer is clean and disinfected.

Handle calves gently – they are babies! Do not overload the transport – all calves must be able to lie down. Treat the navel with iodine again when you get to the shed.

Colostrum is the first milk a cow produces after calving. Collect colostrum and feed it to every calf in the first six hours of life.

Colostrum is very high in antibodies that protect the calf against disease. Calves easily absorb the antibodies in the first few hours, but after 24 hours they absorb very little. Calves that don’t get enough colostrum in the first 24 hours are more likely to get scours or pneumonia and are twice as likely to die in the first two months.

Around half of calves left with their dam for 24 hours do not get enough colostrum. DairyNZ says don’t starve them – tube feed them.

“Don’t be tempted to starve newborn calves overnight so that they get hungry and will drink. By the morning, their ability to absorb antibodies will have almost gone. If they won’t drink, tube feed them.”