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With spring calving just weeks away, how well cows are managed in the run-up to this period will affect the number of live calves born, as well as the level of calving problems experienced.
Outlined are five tips to managing cows, all of which can help cut down on problems at calving time.
1 Increasing cows to ad-lib silage levels
As cows enters the final few weeks of gestation, demand for energy increases. But as intake is restricted in late pregnancy, it is important to feed silage that is average to good quality to ensure cows get enough energy from forage.
Where silage has been restricted to maintain body condition, cows should be given access to silage on an ad-lib basis by around two weeks pre-calving to ensure their nutritional demand is met.
2 Pre-calving minerals
If you have yet to start feeding pre-calving minerals, there is still time before calving gets under way.
Silage is generally low in minerals, so offering a good pre-calving product can reduce problems at calving. It will also lead to livelier calves which are faster to stand and suck.
In addition, spraying 5ml of iodine once per week on the cows flank can be of benefit in herds with low mineral status.
3 Feeding soya
Feeding 0.25kg to 0.5kg per cow during the final 12 to 14 days pre-calving has a positive effect on colostrum and also helps fill the cow’s udder.
It should only be fed for the outlined period, so cows need to be batched according to early, mid and late calving animals. Mix soya with pre-calving minerals.
4 Feeding late at night
Calves born during daylight hours will get more attention than those born in the middle of the night. Feeding cows late in the evening can reduce the number of cows that go into labour at night.
In the final few weeks pre-calving, feed cows to appetite around 8pm to 9pm. You can push in the remaining silage during the next morning for cows to clean up.
But for this method to work, the passage needs to be clear by lunchtime. No further silage should be fed until nighttime.
Cows will be in a fasted state once fresh silage is fed again at night, meaning they are more inclined to eat to appetite before lying and ruminating.
5 Vaccines
Are cows up to date with vaccinations against calf scour? If not, then now is the time to vaccinate to allow antibodies develop.
When cows are in the handling race, a good idea is to clip the tail and under belly around the udder. This should be only carried out in a secure handling unit and take no more than two minutes.
Clipping the cow will keep the udder clean. Remember that as a calf tries to suck for the first time, it often sucks on hair around the udder.
If this hair is soiled, then the calf can be taking in bacteria before it has had its first feed of colostrum.
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