Dairy Youngstock Husbandry

Question 1

How much is a dairy steer worth?

Answer 1

between £40-50, a by-product of the industry

Question 2

How much are replacement heifers worth?

Answer 2

£1200-1500

Question 3

How much are dairy/Bull Crossbreeds worth?

Answer 3

£150-250

Question 4

How long would you expect an adult cow to calf in?

Answer 4

Half an hour

Question 5

What is the first stage of Normal Parturition

Answer 5

The first stage of calving, cow moves around- water bag comes out and she lies down

Question 6

What is the second stage of Normal Parturition

Answer 6

Start of Delivery of the calf, takes around 2 hours

Question 7

Final stage of parturition

Answer 7

Placenta expelled within 12 hours

Question 8

What are some of the birth protocols?

Answer 8

Naval iodine, Weighing and ID Tags

Question 9

Colostrum

Answer 9

Vital for healthy calves and to avoid neonatal diseases (within first 24 hours)

Question 10

What does Colostrum provide

Answer 10

Antibodies

Question 11

What is colostrum high in?

Answer 11

Fats and Proteins

Question 12

How can you administer colostrum?

Answer 12

Via stomach tube or via a bottle

Question 13

Colostrometer

Answer 13

Instrument used to measure quality of colostrum

Question 14

How much colostrum should calves have?

Answer 14

10% of their body weight

Question 15

How should Colostrum be stored?

Answer 15

Can be refrigerated (24 hours) or freezed, should be thawed in water baths

Question 16

Milk-Replacer feed

Answer 16

Feed transition milk for 3 days to increase antibody levels but milk replacer should be fed after (can use teats/buckets, or computerized milk-feeding)

Question 17

Milk-Replacer powder benefits

Answer 17

Cheaper than whole milk, reduced risk of disease transmission, more consistent than whole milk

Question 18

What are the two types of protein sources in whole milk?

Answer 18

Skim (by-product of butter and cream manufacture) or Whey (by-product of cheese manufacture) (doesn’t form milk clots which we want)

Question 19

What is the development of calf GIT

Answer 19

Cudding is initiated at 2 weeks, rumen functionala t 6-8 weeks and fully developed at 12 weeks

Question 20

What do the rumenal papillae need?

Answer 20

Straw and Concentrates (VFA’s)

Question 21

Weaning in Calves

Answer 21

they need to be step-weaned, they start weaning at 8-10 weeks- weaning should be based off of how many concentrates they are eating

Question 22

What do calves need in terms of housing?

Answer 22

Drainage, Gases, Warmth, Bedding, Socialisation

Question 23

What happens if calves aren’t weaned properly?

Answer 23

They become pot-bellied due to the digestive change

Question 24

What are some common health problems?

Answer 24

Diarrhoea, Pneumonia, Joint infections and Umbilical infections

Question 25

What is the main reason for culling?

Answer 25

Age, Mastitis and Lameness

Question 26

When do Heifers hit puberty?

Answer 26

between 3-10 months, mate around 14-15 months and calve at 2 years