Calving Checklist

Pre Calving

• Regroup cows on expected calving date.
• Keep incalf heifers in a separate group.
• Assess your tag supplies and order more where necessary.
• Check calving jack, ropes, navel dip, castration/disbudding equipment, etc.
• Consider buying new calving ropes, they aren’t expensive and you’re better to have spares to allow for disinfection between calvings.
• Prepare extra space/pens for calved cows.
• Where possible, muck out, wash and disinfect calving pens.
• If bedding has been used sparingly this winter, increase the frequency ad quantity of bedding used to ensure a clean dry environment.
• Erect calving pens and prepare them for the first calf.  This is better done pre calving than in the middle of the night.
• Ensure the mineral status of the ration is appropriate, bleeding cattle to assess mineral status is worth discussing with your vet.

At Start Of Calving

• Move newly calved cows out of the dry cow group daily, grouping cows on calf age.
• Tag by 20 days at the very latest, tagging earlier will aid management.
• If you are using rubber rings for castration, do this by 7 days.
• If you are using dehorning paste, apply this by 7 days.
• Increase rations for calved cows and if close to turnout supplement with magnesium.
• For those who are calving at 2 years old, keep calved heifers separate from mature cows and feed them the equivalent of 1 – 2 kg more concentrates per day compared with cows.
• Erect a calf “refuge” in every pen of calved animals using temporary electric tapes/string.
• Keep the calf refuge extremely well bedded.
• Remember to register births.

Robert Ramsay, robert.ramsay@sac.co.uk