Friday, 13 July 2018 10:55

How to have a smoother calving season

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

Calving season is around the corner and now is the time to start planning and preparing.

According to DairyNZ, now is the time help your farm team get set up early for a smoother calving season.

Pre-calving checklist

- Supplies of metabolics, electrolytes, navel spray etc. on hand or ordered

- New team members up to date on farm policies and what to expect during calving

- Calf trailer and feeding equipment clean and disinfected

- Calf shed clean and disinfected and all repairs and maintenance done

- Designated sick calf area ready 

- Fresh bedding laid in calf shed

- Calving kit prepared.

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

Planning and preparing for calving with your farm team will reduce stress when calving is in full swing and help it run smoothly. 

Hold a team meeting prior to calving and decide who will do what and when. Record the plan where everyone can see it. 

Introduce new staff to systems and processes so everyone is on the same page when calving starts. Establish a roster and make sure staff know how to fill out timesheets. 

Eating well is important and some owners provide staff with crock pots; keep healthy snacks at the shed or have a cooked breakfast together after milking.

Watch for signs of stress, meet regularly and talk often.

Keep your calving kit at the gate of the springer paddock. 

Have a team member in charge of making sure it is restocked regularly. 

Calving kit contents

- Bucket with a lid to contain kit (tape a checklist of contents inside the lid).

- Metabolics (clearly labelled milk fever treatments and starter drench).

- 3 calving ropes or chains (strong, supple and cleaned after each use).

- 2 litre container of lube (a plunger pump is an easy way to dispense lube if hands are busy).

- Towel and soap for cleaning hands

- Notebook and pencil (A pencil will still work in wet conditions, unlike a pen).

- Ear tags or other calf identification system (Pre numbered tags with corresponding numbers on a record sheet will save time and reduce the chance of recording mistakes).

- Spray paint, red plus another colour (red can be used as a warning colour. e.g. withhold milk. Communicate this with staff).

- Gloves for rectal or other exam

- Head torch and spare batteries

- Iodine spray pre-mixed with water (do not use teat dip as an alternative).

- Key contact numbers (vet, manager) on laminated sheet. Save numbers in phone).

- Calving intervention guide

- Food/energy bars.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter