General Management
Management factors such as dehorning, drenching, cleaning calf sheds, ensuring a clean water supply and vaccinating must be carefully planned.
Dehorning
Horned animals can cause injury to others in the herd and to people working with them. Dehorning is simple, safe and clean if it is done when animals are young (before 4 months old). Calves are usually dehorned when they are 2–3 weeks old, using one of the following methods:
- a dehorning iron—a hot electric iron held over the hornbud for about 30 seconds. This operation is clean and permanent and highly recommended.
- chemicals—caustic potash (rather than caustic soda) is rubbed over the hornbud. This is easy to do, neat and inexpensive. Calves treated with caustic sticks or caustic paste should be sheltered from rain for at least a day after treatment. Be careful: there is a danger of calves rubbing against each other in cramped areas.
- a scoop (or cup) mechanical dehorner. Calves older than 2 months can be easily dehorned with one of these. This method ensures that all of the growing horn is removed. When heifers are older, the operation is more difficult and the resulting poll is not so neat.
Rice hulls are another alternative as a bedding material. Here, half the area is for bedding (rice hulls), with concrete for feeding and watering.
Removing Supernumerary Teats
Supernumerary teats are generally smaller than the other teats, and if they are not removed they can get in the way at milking time.
They can be removed very easily from calves up to 2 months old—hold teats with the fingers and cut them off at the base with sterilised scissors. If they are left on until the cow calves, their removal becomes a job for the vet.
Identification
If you want to run a good herd breeding and a management program you must clearly identify all animals within the herd.
You should put a permanent, distinguishing mark on all calves that are likely to be reared as herd replacements. Do this as early as possible after the calf’s birth. Then write the breeding particulars of the calf, together with its identity mark or number, in the herd records.
A number of methods have been used to identify calves, but the most successful have been ear tags, ear tattoos and freeze branding.
Ear Tags
Ear tags have been used for many years, with mixed success. The larger plastic tags have the advantage of being relatively easy to read, but tag losses have been high. Pre-numbered brass tags are now a popular means of calf identification, with few losses if they are correctly applied and placed.
Ear Tattoos
When ear tattoos are property applied they are a very effective and permanent method of identification. Ideally, they should be coupled with some other more visible form of identification, such as ear tags. The ear tattoo may be difficult to read in a black ear, but using green ink or paste may help overcome the problem.
Freeze Branding
Freeze branding using liquid nitrogen, or dry ice and methylated spirits, is popular; the animal suffers little pain and hide damage is minimal. Using dry ice and methylated spirits will produce more white hair and a more reliable result that liquid nitrogen.
White-haired animals will need a longer branding time to kill the hair follicles; the branding leaves a bare patch similar to that left by acid branding. Brands are usually applied to animals heavier than 200 kg or 12–15 months old, as brands on younger animals will distort with growth.
Brands can also be acid, caustic or hot- iron.
Drenching
On many properties severe calf losses from infestation with internal parasites (worms) are common. The trouble is particularly prevalent if calves are confined to small, dirty yards or sheds, or are grazed continuously in small paddocks. Calf paddocks normally become heavily infested with worms after several batches of calves have been reared on the one area in the same season. For treatment, follow the recommendations of your local veterinarian.
