Monday, 06 August 2018 09:17

Safety around cows

Written by 
Cows can be protective of their calves. Cows can be protective of their calves.

Cows can be very protective of their calves and see people as a threat. 

Cows that are usually calm can become unpredictable after calving; always keep an eye on the cow and keep the calf between you and its mother. 

Plan an escape route in case you need to get out of the way of a protective mother. 

A well-stocked calving kit is essential and will save you making trips between the paddock and the shed.

Mothers and calves often get separated in the calving paddock and calves can hide in drains, hollows, hedges, and long grass, or they may walk under break fences, so it is important to take your time checking the paddock. 

In cold, wet and windy weather calves will tend to walk in the direction of the wind. 

Check a calf to see if it is alive and breathing, then check to see if it’s fit and healthy. Spray the calf’s navel in the paddock to help prevent it from getting sick.

Recording information about the cow and calf is important for farm records. Identifying calves in the paddock prevents confusion at the calf shed and helps track the age of calves.

Newborn calves can be heavy, wet and awkward to hold; handle and lift calves correctly to help prevent injuries to you and the calves. 

Calves can be injured easily so take care when placing them on a trailer. A calf trailer should have enough room for all calves to lie down comfortably. 

Overloading the trailer can lead to injuries and swollen navels; driving slowly helps keep you and the calves safe. Take care when driving on slopes because the trailer can become unstable. 

Slow driving also allows any newly calved cows to follow the trailer. 

Applying an easy-clean, non-slip material to the floor of the trailer can help make transportation safer and more comfortable for calves; regular cleaning and disinfection of the trailer reduces the risk of infections. Allowing the trailer to dry in the sun also helps kill bacteria.

More like this

Cow, calf nutrition go together

The lead up to another calving period means the next few weeks offer an opportunity to meet the nutritional demands of your cows.

Giving calves a good start

As part of its strategic choice to lead in sustainability, Fonterra places a strong emphasis on calf wellbeing.

Calving cows need starch, energy

While most dairy farmers are heading into spring calving with lush grass cover, cows may need more starch and energy to compensate for pasture deficiencies this season.

Look out for coccidiosis

With calving underway, dairy farmers are being urged to be vigilant for coccidiosis by planning their calf feeding regimes and using nutrition to combat the potentially fatal disease.

Time to start preparing calf sheds

As farmers start calving, it’s time to think about preparing calf sheds. Here are some tips from NZAgbiz’s Calf Rearing Guide on preparing calf facilities and what good practices for setting up your calf shed are.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Govt urged to reduce ETS units

The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as…

Dairy sheep, goat woes mount

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand…

Machinery & Products

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

Can-Am showcases range

Based on industry data collected by the Motor Industry Association, Can-Am is the number one side-by-side manufacturer in New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

Thai egg tarts

OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter