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Spring calving is due to commence in the coming weeks for many suckler farmers.
How well cows are managed during the final weeks of the gestation period will have a major bearing on a successful calving period.
Outlined are six tips to help improve herd management during the final stages of the gestation period.
1. Increase silage allocation
The final eight to 10 weeks before calving is an important period for the suckler cow. Approximately 75% of foetal calf growth occurs during this period.
As such, the cow will have an increasing requirement for energy. Therefore, cows should be offered ad-lib access to silage provided they are not in excessive body condition.
Cows that are carrying too much body condition can still have silage restricted, but by no more than 10% to 20% depending on condition and silage quality.
2. Vaccinate for scour
Prevention is better than cure and vaccinating for scour can help to reduce calf mortality levels. Vaccinating for scour is not a substitute for average or poor hygiene levels in calving sheds.
Ensure that calving pens are kept clean, dry and well-bedded for the vaccine to be most effective. You also must ensure that calves get adequate colostrum inside the first two hours of life.
The vaccine stimulates the cow to produce antibodies which are then passed to the calf. If the calf does not get enough colostrum inside the first few hours of life, the risk of scours will remain high.
3. Feed pre-calving minerals
Feeding a good pre-calving mineral from six weeks prior to the start of calving is money well spent.
Pre-calving minerals help to reduce the incidence of calving problems and weak calves that are slow to stand and suckle their mother.
Good mineral supplementation also reduces the incidence of cows that do not clean properly after calving.
Cows that are lacking in minerals such as selenium can be more lethargic at calving, leading to pro-longed labour and the need for intervention.
Proper supplementation of vitamin E and Iodine can improve calf vigour.
4. Feed cows in the evening
Having more cows calving during the daytime allows farmers to give them more attention compared to cows that calve during the night time.
Feeding cows in evening can help to deter cows from calving late at night. Instead, the cow is more likely to calve the following morning.
Offer cows fresh silage as one of the last tasks to complete before finishing your daily routine to get cows used to feeding late at night.
5. Have calving pens cleaned and be prepared
Calving pens should be cleaned out, power-washed and disinfected well in advance of calving. Make sure all repairs to calving pens are completed now.
Ensure you have all necessary calving aids such as spare gloves, lubricant, calving ropes, iodine, electroytes and stomach tube.
Keep calving aids in a location where they can be quickly accessed in case a cow calves ahead of her scanning date.
6. Moving cows to calving pens
Where cows are on slats, move them to a large, straw-bedded loose house around 10 to 12 days prior to calving date to allow them to settle in their new environment.
If this is not practical, only move them to a calving pen once labour starts.
Moving cows that are showing strong signs of unrest within a few days of their calving date can upset the animal, raise stress levels and delay the onset of calving.
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