Avoid scour in calf creeps: I have had a few calls from farmers who have scour problems in sheds. While scour issues most commonly occur later in the spring, it is worth keeping a close eye out for the start of a problem.

The risk of a scour outbreak is usually higher where both an autumn and spring calving suckler herd are on the farm and housed in the same shed. If there is any evidence of a calf with scour, the first port of call should be immediate isolation. Moving the calf and its mother to an isolation pen will help to reduce the risk of the disease spreading to other calves. The next thing should be to identify the cause of the scour. Taking a sample of the scour and having it analysed should point out the type of infection and help identify the correct treatment.

Another question to ask is: have the calves received enough colostrum from the mothers? It is often the case that calves that do not get sufficient levels of colostrum within the first few hours of life will not be able to fight off diseases as well as those that have. If you are in doubt, then have the calf’s ZST levels tested.

The main scour causes in calves are Cryptosporidium, Coccidiosis and Rotavirus. While there are preventative therapies for some scours, the first step should be to ensure that the calves environment is clean, creep areas should be well bedded, dry and not over crowded. If there is a scour issue in a shed, allowing calves out to graze by day if the weather allows, combined with treatment will help to reduce the calves’ exposure to pathogens in the environment.

Castrating calves: Many farmers opt to leave weanling bulls entire up to sale, to be able to target both prospective bull finishers as well as grass-based steer finishers. For farmers that are buying weanling bulls to run as steers, it’s time to castrate. At this stage, spring 2015-born bull calves that are not going to be run as bulls U16 months should be separated and castrated. Under law, calves over six months of age should be given an anaesthetic before castration is carried out. For those in a suckler-to-steer beef system, the banding method of castration at the calf stage may be beneficial from a management and safety viewpoint.

However, many farmers who sell weanlings or steers tend to avoid this method of castration, as there is a perception that the visual appearance (ie lack of scrotum) may affect buyer demand. Burdizzo castration may the preferred method for bull calves of five to six months of age, surgical castration may be more suitable for bulls from seven to 17 months. When using the Burdizzo method, each cord should be crushed twice for 10 seconds each time, one below the other.

When using the banding method, ensure the animal has received a clostridial/tetanus vaccine four weeks prior to banding, with the booster given at banding. Avoid combining the stress of turnout with castration, as this can increase the risk of infections and swelling. Where castrating housed weanlings, allowing them access to straw bedding will help in reducing discomfort.