Displaying items by tag: calving

Knowing the signs and stages of labour, how to calf a cow and the immediate care needed after calving will increase the number of successful births, says DairyNZ.

Get your colostrum feeding right and you'll go a long way towards raising healthy replacement calves.

Calving season just got a little bit easier thanks to a new series of online videos from SealesWinslow.

Calving cows means late nights and early mornings, with statistics showing around 18% of heifers need help and 7% of calves die at birth.

Getting cows in-calf quickly is the key to achieving a good calving pattern, says DairyNZ.

Moving from the corridors of powers in Australia to the hill country of northern Waikato can be daunting for anyone.

It takes about two weeks for heifers to get to know the milking area, entry and exit routes, and to establish a quiet, reliable routine.

Newborn calves are vulnerable to cold and disease, so careful handling, feeding and hygiene are important to get them safely through their first 24 hours, DairyNZ points out.

After calving, heifers often suffer discomfort with swollen udders (oedema) and may be more difficult to move, handle and milk out.

Proactive farming and a stringent plan is credited for minimising the impact of the industry-wide ban on routine inductions which came into effect this season, says Canterbury veterinarian Bernice Mangnall.