Dairy Youngstock Husbandry Flashcards
How much is a dairy steer worth?
between £40-50, a by-product of the industry
How much are replacement heifers worth?
£1200-1500
How much are dairy/Bull Crossbreeds worth?
£150-250
How long would you expect an adult cow to calf in?
Half an hour
What is the first stage of Normal Parturition
The first stage of calving, cow moves around- water bag comes out and she lies down
What is the second stage of Normal Parturition
Start of Delivery of the calf, takes around 2 hours
Final stage of parturition
Placenta expelled within 12 hours
What are some of the birth protocols?
Naval iodine, Weighing and ID Tags
Colostrum
Vital for healthy calves and to avoid neonatal diseases (within first 24 hours)
What does Colostrum provide
Antibodies
What is colostrum high in?
Fats and Proteins
How can you administer colostrum?
Via stomach tube or via a bottle
Colostrometer
Instrument used to measure quality of colostrum
How much colostrum should calves have?
10% of their body weight
How should Colostrum be stored?
Can be refrigerated (24 hours) or freezed, should be thawed in water baths
Milk-Replacer feed
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)
Milk-Replacer powder benefits
Cheaper than whole milk, reduced risk of disease transmission, more consistent than whole milk
What are the two types of protein sources in whole milk?
Skim (by-product of butter and cream manufacture) or Whey (by-product of cheese manufacture) (doesn’t form milk clots which we want)
What is the development of calf GIT
Cudding is initiated at 2 weeks, rumen functionala t 6-8 weeks and fully developed at 12 weeks
What do the rumenal papillae need?
Straw and Concentrates (VFA’s)
Weaning in Calves
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
What do calves need in terms of housing?
Drainage, Gases, Warmth, Bedding, Socialisation
What happens if calves aren’t weaned properly?
They become pot-bellied due to the digestive change
What are some common health problems?
Diarrhoea, Pneumonia, Joint infections and Umbilical infections
What is the main reason for culling?
Age, Mastitis and Lameness
When do Heifers hit puberty?
between 3-10 months, mate around 14-15 months and calve at 2 years
