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Unit 3: Suckler Cow System and Source of Store Cattle
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The suckler cow cycle
Rearing calves from dairy herds
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Unit 3: Suckler Cow System and Source of Store Cattle

Rearing calves from dairy herds

 

Take a look at the key stages of rearing calves from dairy herds for the beef industry.

Colostrum Feeding (First 24 Hours)

  • Importance: Calves must receive colostrum (the first milk from the cow) within the first 6 hours of life. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and nutrients that provide vital immunity and energy.
  • Quantity: Aim for about 10% of the calf's body weight in colostrum within the first 24 hours (usually 3-4 litres for an average calf).
  • Quality: Ensure colostrum is from a healthy cow and of good quality. It can be fed from a bottle, or if necessary, via a stomach tube.

 

This would be done when the calf would be with her mother.

Milk Feeding (2-8 Weeks)

  • Milk Replacer: After colostrum feeding, calves are typically fed milk replacer. Milk Replacer: Choose a high-quality milk replacer with at least 20-22% protein and 15-20% fat content but can be whey’d or skimmed.
  • Feeding Schedule: Calves are usually fed twice a day (morning and evening), with each feeding providing around 2-3 litres. Feeding is done via a bucket with a teat or open bucket depending on the farming system.
  • Weaning: Start reducing milk intake gradually from 8-10 weeks to encourage the calf to consume solid feed, aiming for full weaning by 10 weeks. Ensure that they are ruminating (chewing the cud), this shows that they are ready to be weaned.

 

Introducing Solid Feed

  • Calf Starter (from 1 Week): Offer a high-quality calf starter feed from the first week. This feed should contain around 18-20% protein to support early growth.
    • Consumption Target: The calf should consume a minimum of 1kg of calf starter per day before being fully weaned off milk.
  • Forage (from 3 Weeks): Fresh straw available from birth to encourage rumen development. Bedding but also in a rack as it will be clean and fresh for them.
  • Fresh Water: Always provide fresh, clean water from the first day to encourage feed intake and maintain hydration.

 

Post-Weaning Nutrition (10 Weeks Onwards)

  • This is when the calves are considered as ‘weaned calves’. This is when they enter the growth and development stage of store cattle.

Key considerations

 

There are some key elements to consider when rearing calves. Hover over the boxes below to see further information.

Housing and Management

Housing
Calves should be housed in clean, dry, well-ventilated, and draft-free pens. Grouping method is usually stipulated by the milk contract that the farm has.

 

 

Bedding
Use dry straw bedding to keep calves warm and comfortable, especially during colder months.

 

 

Health Management

Vaccinations
Follow a vaccination program to protect against common diseases like pneumonia and clostridial diseases.

 

De-budding
De-budding is often carried out within 2 to 6 weeks as legislation states under 6 weeks of age, this minimises stress and promotes safety in later life.

 

Growth Targets

Weight Gain
Aim for a growth rate of around 0.7-1.0kg per day during the early rearing phase. This ensures calves are healthy and growing steadily.

 

Weaning Weight
Calves should ideally weigh around 80-100 kg at weaning.

 

Video on de-budding

 

Watch the video below to look at how de-budding is carried out. This is a key task.

This video comes from the Vocational and Post-16 'Beef Production' resources originally published on the Hwb website by the Welsh Government in 2014.
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