[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”|30px||30px|false|true” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Good pen\/barn\/shed design and housing management help keep health problems to a minimum and help your calves thrive.\u00a0 An ideal calf pen is one where you would be comfortable hanging out, lying down,\u00a0and also warm enough in your underwear.<\/p>\n
Space<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 1.5m square minimum per calf for adequate space.\u00a0 Overcrowding leads to increased environmental contamination with pathogens, poorer bedding conditions, and increased pathogen transfer between calves. 10 calves per pen at least in the initial few weeks is considered a maximum.\u00a0 Some farming systems call for individual pens to prevent contagious pathogen transfer.<\/p>\n Ventilation<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 housing needs to have adequate ventilation to provide good air quality, lower the humidity level and to carry away air pollutants such as ammonia from waste.\u00a0 No calf wants to be inhaling its pen-mates urine gases and potential nasty pathogens.<\/p>\n Draft free<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 ventilation is good above calf height for the above reasons but drafts around calf level are to be avoided as these lower the effective temperature and chill the calf. \u00a0Different levels of draft prevention requirements will vary according to climate in your area but always ensure there is sufficient draft-free warm space for calves to rest.<\/p>\n Pen separation<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 solid, easily cleaned partitions between pens are excellent for reducing contamination and pathogen transfer.\u00a0 One rotoviral scour contains huge numbers of virus particles ready to infect 100s of other calves -we don\u2019t want those flying between pens.\u00a0 If the pens are separated by more than 1metre e.g. a walking path between, this is generally considered safe.\u00a0 Partition heights should be high enough so calves cannot sniff over the top.\u00a0 The best material is smooth and non-porous so you can thoroughly decontaminate the surface.<\/p>\n Bedding<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 bedding should be kept to a condition where you are happy to lie in it yourself, in your underwear.\u00a0 Whichever you choose, ask yourself: would you lie in it? Are you comfortable? Warm? Clean? Dry?<\/p>\n Drainage<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 should be set up so there are no wet areas in the pens.<\/p>\n Open vs enclosed<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 open pens should face the sun i.e. north facing in the southern hemisphere and south facing in the north.\u00a0 Open has great natural ventilation but enclosed pens are warmer.\u00a0 Some pens designs are easily used for other purposes when there is a non-calving period to the year.\u00a0 Different pros and cons for different situations.<\/p>\n Water troughs<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 clean water needs to be readily available \u2013 it is surprising how much water calves drink.\u00a0 Water intake also encourages meal intake.\u00a0 Leaky troughs are common problems and is one of the reasons trough should be positioned at the front of a pen or where wet bedding can be easily replaced.\u00a0 Ensure the trough is stable as calves like to run around and tip over unstable troughs delightfully wetting the bed even further.<\/p>\n Meal\/concentrate feeders<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 ensure\u00a0plenty of easy access so each calf in the pen can be at the trough at the same time with 30cm of head space.\u00a0 This access space ensures the shy calves have their fair chance when they all start heading to the meal after milk feeds, encouraging more uptake and more even uptake.<\/p>\n All-in all-out<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 set up your system so there is minimal movement between pens.\u00a0 The all-in all-out means that calf 11 for example, enters pen number two, along with its pen mates 12 \u2013 20 until the whole group is ready to leave the pen e.g. when old enough to go outside.\u00a0 At which point the pen will be thoroughly cleaned out before the next group.\u00a0 Of course there will be exceptions e.g. a slow suckler may need to be moved and penned with other slow drinkers and a sick calf may be removed.\u00a0 Calves harbouring contagious infections are often spreading the pathogen for sometimes days prior to showing illness so moving a seemingly healthy calf from pen to pen increases pathogen transfer risk.<\/p>\n Sick calf pen<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 maintain a separate sick calf pen away from other calves with separate equipment and preferably with a dedicated carer.\u00a0 Also a separated pen for bobbies. \u00a0Many farms make use of a good foot bath (or more appropriately a gumboot bath) between sick and healthy calves.<\/p>\n Limit personnel<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 do not let just anyone into your calf pens, ensure they are clean e.g. gumboots prior to entry.\u00a0 Of particular note is bobby calf pick-ups, avoid the loaders going anywhere near your healthy calf pens.\u00a0 The trucks, drivers and loaders can easily be carrying pathogens from one farm to another.<\/p>\n Vermin and other animals<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 vermin, pigs, dogs etc. have all been known to be the cause of disease transfer.\u00a0 Keep vermin under control and do not house pigs near the calves \u2013 both spread nasties.\u00a0 Yes, it is terribly amusing when the dogs play with the calves but keep in mind this is not ideal as far as optimum health conditions, most of the time you will get away with this one.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Housing for Calves Good pen\/barn\/shed design and housing management help keep health problems to a minimum and help your calves thrive.\u00a0 An ideal calf pen is one where you would be comfortable hanging out, lying down,\u00a0and also warm enough in your underwear. Space\u00a0\u2013 1.5m square minimum per calf for adequate space.\u00a0 Overcrowding leads to increased […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-131","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133,"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131\/revisions\/133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoofint.com\/trusti\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}