From Day One: Calf feeding to maximise lifetime performance

Join us on farm with host farmer Robert Rosser, who operates a twice-a-day feeding system for their calves to create positive calf wellbeing”.

Penny Timmer-Arends, Senior Animal Care Specialist, will share insights from the current research, including how feeding frequency and volume impacts growth rates, health outcomes, and future productivity.

You’ll also have the chance to meet your new DairyNZ Area Manger, Ali Lochhead, and connect with others in your region.

Come along to find out more about:

• How feeding frequency and volume can lead to improved growth rates, a strengthened immune response, and positive calf wellbeing.
• How average daily weight gain prior to weaning impacts a heifer’s first lactation milk yield.
• What small, sustainable changes you can make to support good results for your calves and the wellbeing of your farm team.
• Upcoming changes to the Dairy Cattle code of welfare, and likely requirements for calf feeding.
• The five Q’s of colostrum – quickly, quality, quantity, sQueaky clean, quantify - and the steps you can take to manage these in your calf rearing system.

DairyNZ tools that can support with rearing calves include the Calf Rearing Reference guide and Caring For Calves.

Lunch kindly provided by Rural Service Centre.

Protect our industry - please arrive with clean boots to prevent the spread of disease, pest or weed.