Animal management is a critical component of farm profitability and sustainability. From genetics to herd management and more, this section covers topics that will help guide your decisions.
With calves being weaned their pasture intake will be increasing and so will their exposure to worm eggs. A well-planned drench program is an important part of getting good growth from your calves while reducing the risk of drench resistant worms.
A few points to consider. Oral drenching works best on young calves (under 120kg), they are cheaper and have a bigger safety margin than pour-ons. Drenches should always be a combination product with at least two active ingredients, as these will be more effective than single actives and will slow the development of resistance on your farm. Always weigh the calves or use a weigh tape, never guess their weight to avoid over or under drenching. Check the drench gun is collaborated and delivering the correct dose.
Regular weighing of calves and entering their weight into the likes of MINDA allows you to track weight gain and take action if needed. Most vets have scales that can be hired.
Don’t forget the vaccinations for the calves for lepto and clostridial diseases. Some at risk farms will also vaccinate for salmonella and BVD. Talk to your vet to discuss the best drench and vaccination plan.
With calves being weaned their pasture intake will be increasing and so will their exposure to worm eggs. A well-planned drench program is an important part of getting good growth from your calves while reducing the risk of drench resistant worms.
A few points to consider. Oral drenching works best on young calves (under 120kg), they are cheaper and have a bigger safety margin than pour-ons. Drenches should always be a combination product with at least two active ingredients, as these will be more effective than single actives and will slow the development of resistance on your farm. Always weigh the calves or use a weigh tape, never guess their weight to avoid over or under drenching. Check the drench gun is collaborated and delivering the correct dose.
Regular weighing of calves and entering their weight into the likes of MINDA allows you to track weight gain and take action if needed. Most vets have scales that can be hired.
Don’t forget the vaccinations for the calves for lepto and clostridial diseases. Some at risk farms will also vaccinate for salmonella and BVD. Talk to your vet to discuss the best drench and vaccination plan.