Phase two Dairylink farmers have been monitoring liveweight gain (LWG) among their calves this season.

The figures show that average pre-weaning LWG across the project farms varied from 0.53kg to 0.83kg/calf/day.

Feeding programmes on the farms varied from feeding up to 8l pasteurised milk/calf daily on Stephen and Hazel Wallace’s farm to feeding 1.1kg milk replacer/calf daily on Richard Marshall’s farm.

All calves appeared to be weaned at around eight to 10 weeks old.

Action points

Following an online meeting with Dairylink adviser Aidan Cushnahan, the group arrived at the following action points to be implemented at the next calving season:

  • Record birth weights and weaning weights of calves.
  • Monitor colostrum quality and take blood samples from a number of calves to assess ZST levels.
  • Record all incidences of calf health disorders on the farm.

    • Read more in this week's Irish Farmers Journal and at www.ifj.ie/dairylink.