Calf Management (new born)

A good start is half of the battle…..

 Nutrition

Management Disease Control

 “A CAlf is Tomorrow’s Cow”
Dairy industry’s future depends mainly on better replacement stocks.
Calf is the foundation of the future dairy herd.

• Calf raising system is very poor in our country .

• Calves obtain little milk from suckling mother’s udder

just before & after milking.

• Do not get proper management

• They become emaciated during early life & cannot show

full genetic potentiality what they have.

So we have to give proper attention for raising calves successfully.

“Timely Care of New-Born Calf Will Ensure Its Survival”

 Care of Newborn Calf
First 24 hours of life of a calf is so important, it has a strong bearing on the rest of its life.

If calf is not provided adequate care in the first 24 hours, may

• succumb to diseases
• will always remain weak
• an under performer,.
even though it has good genetic potential & is provided a good environment

Another important reason for losing a calf is disease:

proper management of calf is vital to its survival
“The first hour after calving is the most critical period in the entire life of a new born calf”
 “Timely care of new-born calf will ensure its survival”

➢ Clean nostrils & mouth: helps the calf breathe better & helps to
prevent future breathing problems.

➢ Incase of difficulties in breathing: press the chest of the calf or

inserting air through the nose or mouth until it start to breath normally.

➢ Allow the mother to lick the calf clean: promotes circulation within the calf’s body &
prepares the calf to stand up and walk.

Licking stimulates the calf to stand up

➢ If the calf is unable to stand by itself: help it to stand on its legs

➢ If the calf is unable to suckle: it should be assisted & be allowed to suckle

colostrum from the dam as early as possible.

➢ Hand-feeding of new-born calves: recommended so that the farmer is sure about

the amount of colostrum an individual calf receives.

Help to stand on legs Assisted to suckle colostrum Hand-feeding of new-born calves

➢ Many calves do not nurse adequate amounts of colostrum from their dams within
the first few hours of life,& thus they may not receive adequate immunity.

➢ A new born calf should consume about 2 liters of colostrum within the first hour of
birth & 4 liters (based on size) within 24 hours of birth.

➢ Feeding colostrum after 24 hours of birth may not help the calf to absorb
immunoglobulins properly, thus protection against diseases will be less.

➢ Any excess colostrum should be milked & stored or fed fresh to other calves.

➢ A calf must receive adequate colostrum to protect it from diseases for the first three
months of its life
➢ Cutting of navel cord: Tie the navel cord with a thread at a distance of around 2
inches from the base & cut the remaining cord with a clean instrument.

(“A poorly maintained navel is the gateway to serious infection”)

Cutting of navel cord Dipping of navel

➢ Dipping of navel: Dip the navel in 7% or higher tincture of iodine solution &
repeat after 12 hours. (Do not use teat dip or weaker iodine solutions).
➢ During the second week of life & thereafter, the calf should be separated from dam.

➢ There should be provision of enough drinking water for calves

➢ Gradually provide calf starter & good quality hay from 2 weeks for better growth &
early rumen development.

➢ At three months of age, contact the veterinarian for vaccination & deworming.

Separation of calves from dam provision of drinking water Provision of calf starter
 Problems in Calf Rearing
Problems in Calf Rearing:
Causes of this problems:
➢ High calf mortality
➢ Delayed feeding of colostrum
➢ Slow growth rate
➢ Poor biosecurity
➢ High price of feed
➢ Shortage of milk and green fodder
➢ Late puberty of calf
➢ Storage of balanced ration
➢ Delayed pregnancy
➢ Lack of technical knowledge
➢ Slaughtering of immature cattle
➢ Poor condition of farmers
➢ Disease and parasite problems
Six main points to be remembered for rearing calves:
➢ Enough colostrum should be feed to calves

➢ Drinking water should always be available to them

➢ Kept in clean, dry & comfortable environment

➢ Ensure proper nutrition of calves

➢ Regular spraying of disinfectant in calf house

➢ Timely vaccination & de-warming program