This time of the year is when suckler farmers usually wean calves from their cows and reducing stress in livestock during this transition is critical.
The weaning process can be a stressful time for calves as their environment, social grouping and diet may all change in a short period of time.
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Beef and Sheep adviser John Hamilton has reminded farmers that the stress associated with weaning calves can lead to “significant loss of thrive and potentially even death in severe cases of pneumonia”.
He has outlined a few tips for farmers to keep in mind to help make weaning as stress-free as possible for calves including:
- Introducing concentrate feeding;
- Implementing a health plan including a worming and vaccination programme;
- Gradual weaning;
- Clipping calves before housing.
The CAFRE advisor said that introducing concentrate feeding via a creep feeder or creep gate for six to eight weeks prior to weaning helps to break the cow-calf bond.
As calves are growing quickly, a ration with a relatively high protein content (16% crude protein CP) should be fed, however he advised farmers to discuss calf rations with their nutritionist who will tailor a ration best suited to the farm.
Having calves eating a concentrate diet prior to weaning means the calf is no longer solely dependent on the milk supply of the cow and concentrate feed becomes an increasingly important part of the diet.
He also suggested that forward-grazing calves through a creep gate will allow calves the additional benefit of preferential clean grazing in addition to concentrates.
Where calves are being forward grazed, it helps calves become familiar with being separated from the cow for extended periods of time.
The CAFRE advisor said that where necessary, calves should be treated with an anthelmintic product to treat for lungworm prior to weaning.
This should take place before weaning when the calves are still in a stable, low stress environment, and which allows calves to cough up and expel the dead worms while outside.
Delayed treatment may result in dead worms remaining in the lungs and when coupled with the stress of weaning and housing, can lead to the onset of pneumonia.
Discuss worming strategies with your vet, especially when purchasing calves of unknown health status.
Suckler calf weaning
Hamilton said there are a number of methods to wean suckler calves in a stress-free manner, including Fence-Line weaning and the use of Quiet-Wean nose flaps.
Fence-Line weaning can be practised when calves are being forward grazed with free access to the cows being gradually reduced and eventually stopped over a period of days. The calves will remain in an adjacent field close to their mothers until weaning is complete.
If forward grazing is not being practised, this method can still be followed by gradually removing the cows into an adjacent field over a number of days again until the process is complete.
Removing the cows gradually while leaving some older familiar animals in the group helps to reduce stress while slowly breaking the bond between cow and calf.
Quiet Wean nose flaps are a plastic nose flap that can be fitted into the calf’s nostrils to prevent it suckling the cow.
They have been trialled on the CAFRE farms with positive results. Generally, the process takes 4-7 days to complete depending on the temperament of individual calves.
It has been shown to minimise stress levels as physical contact between the cow and calf is still maintained.
Vaccines
There are a range of intranasal and injectable vaccines available for pneumonia, covering Pasteurella, RSV and Pi3.
These should be administered following veterinary guidance depending on your individual situation.
Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) can also have a major effect on the animal’s respiratory system and can also be vaccinated for via injection or intranasally.
If housing suckler-bred calves in warm autumn conditions, it may be beneficial to allow the calves access to an outdoor paddock for a few days until they acclimatise to their new environment.
As this is not always possible, clipping the hair off the calf’s backs will help keep them cool and minimise sweating thus helping to reduce the chances of the calves developing pneumonia.
Clipping is also beneficial when applying pour-on anthelmintic products.
Effective management of calves at weaning is important to reduce the risk of stress-related illnesses developing in the calf post-weaning.
