You will need a suitable way of carrying all the necessary items for recording and tagging, and of keeping them dry and easily accessible. A pouch which can be belted around the waist is ideal. It should have sufficient pockets to carry sticks of tags, raddles, note books, pliers and tag punch and veterinary supplies.
The right type of field notebook makes the job much easier. It should be made of indestructible, weatherproof paper which can be written on with indelible pen and is therefore usable in wet weather. If this is not available then keep the note book in a reasonable sized plastic bag so you can write inside the bag in wet weather. Headings and columns must be laid out on the page so they are easy to read, in logical sequence, difficult to make mistakes with, and contain all necessary information. An alternative to the field notebook, which is likely to come into increasing use, is the electronic data logger which enables all the information to be keyed in out in the field, then later transferred directly into a computer.
Preparation
Based on the number of cows expected to calve prepare sufficient sticks or packs of tags. Soak the brass tags overnight in a 10% solution of Savlon or similar antiseptic which has chlorhexidine and cetrimide as the active ingredients. Do not use irritating antiseptics such as Dettol, Ryes Fluid or methylated spirits. The overnight soaking ensures sufficient antiseptic adheres to the tag to give initial protection.
You can use either brass tags or plastic tags, but with the latter you must be careful not to damage the calf’s ear. Some people prefer to wait until weaning before using plastic tags. Ensure you have the correct sets of pre-printed (typed, written-up) cow lists. Check the contents of your calving-recording kit against the check list.
Check list
Sticks of tags; field notebook; cow lists; indelible pens; aerosol raddles; tag punch (if used); tag pliers; antiseptic and container; hand towel; tape recorder (if used). Check the accuracy of scales.
You can take two approaches to entering cow and calf identities in the field notebook. One is to pre-enter all cows to calve in the order they appear in the herd summary prepared by the computer recording system. This makes transferring calving information to computer sheets quick and simple. The second is simply record the cows as they calve. This makes recording in the field easier, but requires more time when transferring calving information to computer sheets. You also do not have a check list readily to hand which can warn you if a cow is missing, or apparently ‘produced’ another (stolen) calf yesterday.
Out in the field
Tagging can be done single handed or in pairs. If there are two of you it obviously speeds things up and should make things easier to carry out the all important checks which ensure all information is accurately recorded. If possible work in dry weather. This minimises the chances of infection and also makes mistakes less likely because retaining concentration and making notes are both easier. Do not take a dog, even the most docile of cows will charge a dog when she has a new born calf.
Tag calves as close as possible to the time of drop as this will mean the calves are easier to catch. Always keep an eye on the cow when tagging and weighing her calf because some can get quite stroppy.
Weighing calves with scales mounted on the tray of a farm vehicle is probably the most efficient way of working, providing the terrain allows easy vehicle access. Mount a set of spring balance scales (some electronic scales are also suitable) on a frame at the side or rear of the vehicle. A sugar sack or a set of stout leather straps makes a suitable sling for the calf.
You can either lift the calf in the sling onto the scales, or use a rope and pulley to pull the scales up and lift the calf in the sling off its feet. The latter lessens the chances of you injuring your back. Although Angus calves will only weigh around 28 kg at birth, some of the exotic breeds such as Charolais can go over 40 kg — a weight which can quite easily cause back damage.
An alternative is to use a portable weighing frame. This can be carried folded up on the back of the vehicle and lifted off when required. The weighing frame uses just arm and leg muscles in a pushing walking action to lift the calf. There is no direct lifting to strain the back muscles.
Technique
Approach each cow and calf in the vehicle causing as little disturbance as possible. At the crucial moment the passenger leaps from the vehicle and catches the calf. While he/she puts the calf in the sling the driver/ recorder identifies the cow in the notebook, notes down the calf tag --umber and tags the calf. The passenger/ helper lifts the calf onto the scale and calls out the weight and sex. The driver/ recorder records weight and sex and calls all the information back — calf sex, weight, calf Amber, cow number. The helper physically confirms these, double checks that the front and back of the tag read the same, then releases the calf. Record any other relevant information about the cow such as evidence of calving difficulty. Instead of using a field notebook you can enter the information into an electronic data logger.
Establish a set routine for carrying out tagging, weighing, recording, and checking and stick to it. This minimises the possibility of making recording errors. Transfer all information from the field notebook to computer records on a daily basis while your memory of events remains fresh. Also of course like any big job it is better to do a little and often, thereby retaining enthusiasm and concentration, than to let days of work pile up into a daunting mountain of figures.
Keep field notebooks in a safe place so they don’t get lost, trodden on or eaten. If something contradictory or confusing does occur in the permanent record the information in the field notebook will often enable it to be sorted out.
Reasons for recording birth weight
The main purpose of recording birth weights is to identify potential calving difficulty problems. It can identify sires leaving heavy calves which could cause calving difficulties, and point up any breed effects on levels of calving difficulty. Some terminal sire breeds cause higher levels of calving difficulty. Birthweight is not a significant indicator of the calf’s likely lean growth potential, but it can (slightly) improve the accuracy of the later predictors, yearling and two-year-old weights.
