Focus on Calves by WynnstayGroup

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

FOCUS ON CALVES Technical advice for rearing healthy calves

www.wynnstayagriculture.co.uk 1

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

Our Specialist Calf Team

Inside This Issue:

Steve Brown - Ruminant Feeds Product Manager m: 07774 855026 e: steve.brown@wynnstay.co.uk @sirbilly55

p.2 Contents and contacts p.3 Introduction

Calf Specialists Rebecca Davies - Product Manager - Milks m: 07881 093633 e: rebecca.davies@wynnstay.co.uk @richardscalf1

p.4 A Stellar success at Pentrefelin p.6 Heifer grazing

Eimear Diamond - Calf Specialist - South & South West England m: 07881 379008 e: eimear.diamond@wynnstay.co.uk

p.7 Calves tell us that all starters are not created equal!

@diamondcalf1

Jess Charlton - Calf Specialist - Shropshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire m: 07990 584740 e: jess.charlton@wynnstay.co.uk @charltoncalf1

p.8 Weaning - myth busting

Millie Hendy - Calf Specialist - Somerset & Gloucester m: 07717 495746 e: millie.hendy@wynnstay.co.uk @hendycalf1

p.10 Calf barn ventilation p.12 Colostrum Protocol - fundamental to calf health

Sandy Wilson - Calf Specialist - West, North & Mid Wales m: 07879 841672 e: sandy.wilson@wynnstay.co.uk @petticoatcalves

p.14 Trouw Nutrition

Sammy Howorth - Calf Specialist - Lancashire & Cumbria m: 07810 444948 e: sammy.howorth@wynnstay.co.uk @howorthcalf1

p.16 Start ‘N’ Wean

Elinor Thomas - Calf Specialist - South Wales e: elinor.thomas@wynnstay.co.uk

p.17 WYNNGOLD™ calf milk replacers p.18 Measure to monitor p.20 Investment and attention to detail boost calf growth p.22 Elevated milk feeding has the potential to effect end carcass p.24 Meadow Quality p.26 StraightLine Beef p.28 Research in the USA p.30 Cocci and crypto control at calving time p.31 Equipment

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

INTRODUCTION Welcome note Welcome to our fifth edition of the Focus on Calves. I think it’s fair to say that this year has been particularly difficult in regard to calf rearing. The mild, muggy weather we had at the tail end of 2017 didn’t get us off to the best start and calf pneumonia seemed to be one of those topics that every farmer was all too familiar with. If that wasn’t challenging enough, we then had to contend with the Beast from the East - I can’t tell you how many calls we received from frustrated farmers whose automatic calf machine had ‘stopped working’. It would seem that frozen pipes do not lend themselves well to providing water for machines!

The Wynnstay Calf Team have had a rather exciting year so far in 2018, with the launch of our new milk powder WYNNGOLD™ HEIFERPRO and a trip to the states to attend the DCHA conference. It’s safe to say that we have all learned a lot from our visit across the pond and we are looking forward to having some interesting discussions with you on farm about our visit, but you’ll all be pleased to know that we’re not doing a bad job of it back here in the UK either! I hope you enjoy this edition of Focus on Calves, it’s packed with some really great information. If you do need to know anything, or have a particular interest in something that’s featured, then please don’t hesitate to call one of our calf specialists who will be happy to help.

Yes, it’s been a difficult year so far, but the summer months are upon us and I know many of you will be looking forward to having your heifers out at grass. If that’s the case, then please make sure you have a read of the grazing advice on page 6.

Best wishes Rebecca Davies

Product Manager - Milks m: 07881 093633 e: rebecca.davies@wynnstay.co.uk

Supporting the needs of British farmers

We would like to thank our customers for their support over 100 years of trading

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

A STELLAR SUCCESS AT PENTREFELIN Irfon Jenkins, along with his brother Eurig and father Aeron farm 94 hectares, milking 400 and supplying First Milk. All replacement heifers are reared, and Friesian bulls/Belgian blue calves are sold at 8-16 days depending on breed. This year the family have experienced tremendous calf health. Block calving has many benefits, with long periods of rest time for calving pens and calf sheds at the top of that list. Many, however, find that with the build-up of calves and not enough time to muck out in-between groups, out comes the bottle and injections. But, at Pentrefelin, they have had no scour this year, and with 340 calves born in the space of just five weeks, only two calves were injected. To what do they owe their success?

23%

PROTEIN

500mg/kg VITAMIN E

WYNNGOLDTM Stellar Instant is a top quality, whey based milk powder formulated to achieve ‘gold standard’ growth rates, suitable for high performance dairy replacements and beef calves

Hygiene Whilst colostrum is the foundation for any good calf, hygiene is just as important. In the past, the calves have suffered from coccidiosis, but implementing a hygiene protocol has rectified this. Wellies are disinfected before entering each calf pen and when collecting new born calves from the calving yard boots are dipped. All pens are disinfected using Cyclex and the Wydale feeders used are scrubbed clean after every use, then allowed to dry. Irfon also keeps the Cyclex diluted in a knapsack sprayer and uses this to disinfect the feeding areas twice a week. Sorgene is used to disinfect the calving yard.

PENTREFELIN FARM

Colostrum By now, we should all realise just how important that colostrum feed is. Talking to Irfon, it is clear why they’ve had such great success with their calves this year. All colostrum is tested when harvested using a colostrometer, heifer colostrum is tested and is proving to be of the same quality as cow’s colostrum, it is kept fresh using WYNNGOLD™ Milk Mate. It’s the third year that Irfon has used milk mate and he finds that as well as adding to the palatability of the colostrum, it helps to keep the consistency slightly thinner, which makes it easier to heat up and administer to the calf. The colostrum is heated up on the farm using a warming stick.

It is this level of meticulous hygiene that means their calves show no signs of scour during that early first two weeks of life, when scour is typically most prevalent in calves. The farm has gained a reputation for selling good quality calves, 87 of the bull calves sold last year have experienced no deaths and Irfon comments that ‘more and more people are coming to them directly to source calves’.

All calves receive five litres of colostrum, half of it within two hours of birth and the other half six hours later. Both feeds are tubed and calves receive a further eight feeds of transition milk before moving to a diet of half milk replacer and half colostrum for the next seven days. They then step down to 1.5L colostrum mixed with 1.5L of milk replacer. From day 20 onwards, calves receive only the milk replacer and commence weaning at eight weeks old. From left; Huw Reed, Animal Health Specialist, Wynnstay, Eurig and Irfon

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

Monitoring

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Heifers are weighed again at six months old, coinciding with the animal health programme put together by Wynnstay Animal Health Specialist Huw Reed. Heifers receive a long acting pour on wormer, along with clostridial vaccine Bravoxin 10. For fly control, Butox Swish is used, providing the heifers with 10 weeks’ infestation worth of cover. Further weighing takes place in September, where heifers are grouped into three batches. Any heifers that appear smaller are grouped in bunches of 20-30 and supplemented with concentrate for longer.

Calves are weaned at 10 weeks old and turned out to grass at 12 weeks. They are supplemented at grass with 1.5kg of rearer feed, which is reduced once they have adapted to their grass diet to 1kg/head/day through until August. Ensuring that heifers calve in a tight bunch at two years of age is imperative in any block calving herd and, to ensure that this is achieved, Irfon regularly monitors his heifers’ weight to make sure that they are on track. All calves are weighed at birth and weaning to ensure they have more than doubled their birth weight. Last year, the heifers averaged 700g DLWG, this year they have averaged 750g.

Target first weight is 270kg - 300kg by 14 months Mature herd weight, 500kg When discussing the success of his calves this season, Irfon comments that they ‘recognise peoples strengths and work with them, consistency is key, and this means having the same person feeding the calves. As the herd has expanded, it has afforded us the opportunity to allow me to solely be responsible for calf rearing. We feed more milk powder now than we used to and have seen an improvement in growth rates’.

All calves are weighed at birth and weaning to ensure they have more than doubled their birth weight

Irfon uses WYNNGOLD™ Stellar, a Volac manufactured product. Volac use 1.1bn tonnes of liquid whey annually and purchase 50% of all the whey produced in England and Wales. As a First Milk supplier, Irfon has the guarantee that his milk powder comes from British whey. Volac purchase all the liquid whey from the First Milk factory in Haverfordwest.

Volac and the milk cycle For over 15 years, Volac, a family owned and operated business,has been at the heart of the UK and Irish dairy industry. Calf • Highest quality range of milk formulas available in the UK and Ireland • Grow better cows with our Feed For Growth programme • A range of tools and support for successful calf rearing Farm • Healthier animals • Sustainable herds • Better return on investment

We are primary manufacturers using a unique approach to the processing of liquid whey. We handle up to 50% of all the whey produced in England and Wales. We are proud of our interaction with, and support of, the UK and Irish dairy industry and the value we bring to the dairy farm.

• Volac factory • Processing 3 million litres of whey every day from UK and Irish suppliers • Only company in the UK producing a milk replacer from a liquid raw material • Responsible production of food and feed ingredients • Unique facility - primary manufacturers • Major local employer • Sustainable biomass power station

Whey • Already using up to 50% of all whey produced in England & Wales • Equivalent to 1.1 billion litres of whey annually • Long term commitment to the UK and Irish industry • Equivalent to 10% of national herd

Cheese • Joint investment programmes with cheese manufacturers • Helping create value for money • Market worth €2.5 billion annually

Cows • More milk per cow • Increased longevity • Reduced mortality • Improved Age at First Calving (AFC)

Milk • More litres in the tank • Improved milk production efficiency • Less disease • Less stress

Rebecca Davies

Product manager - Milks m: 07881 093633 e: rebecca.davies@wynnstay.co.uk

PENTREFELIN FARM

Farm merchant • A vital part of the supply chain working closley with Volac Volac calf milk formula • Supplying education and training • Highest quality range available • Largest share of UK and Irish market • Delivering customer value • Unsurpassed technical support • Unique Imunopro base

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

HEIFER GRAZING Rethink heifer grazing strategies to achieve higher performance and reduce costs

post-grazing covers targeted at 1,500-1,600kg/ha (as seen in Table 3). It is crucial to get the post-grazing residuals down in order to maintain grass quality later into the season and to allow the land to achieve its growth potentials.

Following a challenging, late spring and now short or no supply of forage and straw stocks on many farms, grazing your youngstock is a sure-fire way to reduce costs and improve performance. Grazing youngstock, however, isn’t quite as easy as opening the gates and letting them go. Careful consideration of stocking rates and rotational grazing will increase the performance and productivity of the land, leading to greater Dry Matter (DM)/ha.

250kg

320kg

400kg

TOP TIPS FOR GRAZING

Body Weight (kg)

DMI (kg)

400

9.6

200

5.4

500

11.25

300

7.5

(A) kg/DM (B)

(Table 2)

Pre-Grazing Cover

kg/DM (C) kg DM/ha (D)

(Table 3)

Post Grazing cover

kg DM/ha (E)

(Table 3)

Available cover/ha (D–E)

kg DM/ha (F)

Area required per day (F/C)

ha/day

The length of rotations changes in accordance with grass growth, areas of surplus grass need to be identified and removed to produce silage. Through adopting short and regular grazing blocks, it is much less likely that unpalatable grazing areas will develop during the season. You must however, bear in mind the DMI of concentrates if they too are being fed. Concentrate Feeding at Grass Supplementary concentrate feeding is only required in some circumstances during the grazing season, these include: • Grazing calves <6months of age – require supplementation of 1-2kg concentrates • Anything <12 month of age – supplementary feeding is only required for the first four weeks, if grass quality and availability is good then supplementary feeding can be stopped • Anything >12 months of age – no need for concentrates • September onwards for stock <12 months of age – dependent on grass quality

By adopting a paddock grazing method for heifers, you will produce more tonnes of DM/ha, whilst simultaneously achieving higher DLWG and kg of growth/ha. The grass allocation can be easily managed by matching grass supply to demand - using a platemeter is key to knowing your grass availability and covers. The estimated DMI/day for heifers grazed using a paddock system can be found below, in Table 2. DMI (kg)

1,500-1,600

Daily Requirement (AxB)

Paddock Grazing

100

Post-Grazing

Estimated DMI

Table 1: Stocking Rates/ha based on heifer weight through the season

Body Weight (kg)

Youngstock Numbers

Having higher stocking rates throughout April and May will allow more of the youngstock’s allocated grazing platform to be available for making first cut silage. This means an increase in the tonnes of DM/ha grown. The suggested stocking rates based on cattle weights can be found in Table 1, below. Use these figures to base your heifer grazing platform on. Sept-Oct

2,800-3,000

Daily Allocation of Grass: Working out your own requirements

Getting stocking rates right in the early season is key to maintaining grass quality throughout. Grass growth peaks between late April and May - this is when its quality is at its best and early turnout is always best in order to take advantage of this. Although this year has been challenging, it’s important to turn your stock out as early as grazing conditions allow. Calves and heifers should grow with the grass, they should not be turned out into high grass covers as this will lose its quality later in the season.

June-Aug

Pre-Grazing

When paddock grazing youngstock, it is advised to set up paddocks for 3-7 day periods. Shorter breaks work best and allow you to run a shorter rotation, but, this is all dependant on the management and numbers used to justify paddock sizes.

Stocking Rates

Apr-June

Sward Height (cm)

Table 3: Suggested pre and post grazing covers

If grazing is well managed, you should be able to achieve 0.81kg DLWG through the summer period for most heifers. Any animal from four months of age upwards can benefit from grazing through increased performance and reduced rearing costs.

March

kg/DM Ha

Wynnstay offer a specially formulated Heifer Grazer 16 + Biosprint nut, formulated to complement grazed grass. The nut is made with lower protein and balanced starch/fibre to make the most of grass in a young ruminant. Mineral Supplementation For heifers that aren’t fed any concentrates at grass, some form of mineral supplementation is required in either bolus or block form.

Table 2: Estimated DMI/day for growing heifers

Iwan Vaughan

Pre-grazing covers should be targeted at 2800-3000 kg/ha, with

Senior Dairy Technical Specialist - North & Mid Wales m: 07990 578548 e: iwan.vaughan@wynnstay.co.uk

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

CALVES TELL US THAT ALL STARTERS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL! There is more than enough evidence to show that to develop a healthy, functional rumen it is important to establish an appropriate microbial population, promote growth and development of the ruminal absorptive surface area, develop rumen muscularisation and increase rumen volume. Tissues must convert from their reliance on glucose supplied from milk to the metabolism of fatty acids as a primary substrate. Solid feed intake stimulates rumen microbial proliferation and production of microbial end products, volatile fatty acids, which have been shown to initiate rumen epithelial development. However, solid feeds differ in their efficacy to stimulate rumen development.

• Nutritionally improved straw (NIS) — slows fermentation, prevents acid peaks and enables the rumen to extract more nutrients. Increased intakes and improved daily live weight gains

Chemical composition of feeds and the resultant microbial digestion end products have the greatest influence on epithelial development, metabolic transition and performance of calves (Nocek et al., 1984).

• Sugar Beet Pulp, Molasses — natural sugars help growth of a healthy bacteria population to digest concentrate efficiently

• Hipro Soya — the major ingredient in our formula - highly digestible protein source, essential for rapid growth

• Unique health package that provides yeast, buffers, essential minerals, vitamins and nutraceuticals to boost immunity and help the calf overcome health challenges

Research has shown that calves have a marked preference for certain ingredients (wheat, maize, barley) and have a high preference for soybean products (Miller-Cuson et al., 2014). Research has highlighted the importance of feeding cereal grains in the starter concentrate for calves (Porter et al., 2007; Hill et al., 2012; Miller-Cuson et al., 2014).

WYNNGUARD

Compare the rumen papillae development of six week old calves fed three different diets. The calf fed grain from day three shows a great deal more papillae development and a much thicker, darker, and more vascularized rumen wall. In the calf fed good quality hay from three days of age, the papillae are not developed at all, and the rumen wall is quite thin.

High quality 6mm nut, available in 20kg bags, 500kg tote bags or bulk (4t minimum)

now with WYNNGUARD for the ultimate calf health package

Importance of grain

TOP TIPS: 1.

Offer fresh Start ‘n’ Wean daily, from one week of age. Ensure any soiled feed is discarded. Wean calves when they are eating 2kgs/day for three consecutive days

Milk Only

Milk & Hay

3. Water is crucial

Milk & Grain

• Calves should always have access to clean, fresh water • Milk enters the abomasum, water enters the rumen • Creates an environment that allows rapid proliferation of bacteria • Increased starter intake • Increased DLWG • Decreased incidence of scours

©PennState

Wynnstay’s Start ‘n’ Wean calf starter concentrate has been formulated based on sound research. • Maize, wheat and barley — optimum level of starch which is digested to create volatile fatty acids. These organic acids stimulate the growth of rumen papillae which grow longer in this healthy environment

Steve Brown

Ruminant Feeds Product Manager m: 07774 855026 e: steve.brown@wynnstay.co.uk

RUMEN DEVELOPMENT

Offer chopped straw or hay separately, which improves starter intake, improves growth and increases rumen pH by 0.8 (Montoro et al., 2013; Terré et al., 2013)

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

WEANING – MYTH BUSTING

Myth 1

Myth 2

“Calves don’t need water until weaning”

“Calves don’t need forage”

Calves should have access to clean, fresh, water from birth - not only is it a legal requirement, but it drastically increases dry feed intake and is imperative to rumen development. The myth that water makes calves scour is one we do hear from time to time. Water does not make calves scour, calves need water to balance their body systems, flush out toxins and help secrete excess minerals.

It is an undisputable fact that calves need forage available from birth - and bedding doesn’t count! Fresh, clean forage should be offered at all times. There is also some discussion surrounding feeding hay or straw, both are fine but must be managed carefully. The reasons that many have previously moved away from hay is because there can be a great variance in quality and calves often ate large amounts, leading to ‘potbellies’. If the calf is going to eat either hay or straw, it is of greater benefit for it to have a limited amount of good quality forage than straw. When feeding hay, it should always be analysed and balanced to the concentrate accordingly. Either way, calves seek forage and so it should be offered separately to their bedding in lowered troughs or buckets. If there is any hesitation about the quality of hay available, then straw is the safer option. Straw should ideally be chopped and offered ad-lib in raised troughs away from their bedding.

When calves are fed correctly, water and milk should never mix they enter different stomachs, with milk going to the abomasum and water into the rumen along with the dry feed. Mixing can occur when calves are being bucket fed and dive straight into a bucket of water after their milk. This happens as calves tend to gulp milk from a bucket and still have the desire to drink, under these circumstances it is possible to remove the water whilst the calf is drinking the milk. The buckets must be cleaned and returned after 15 minutes. Ideally, we should be making the move away from bucket feeding and transitioning to teat feeding, as mother nature intended. By providing calves with water from day one they will have better developed rumens and transition through weaning much more smoothly. Remember, calves need four litres of water for every kilo of dry feed consumed - that’s eight litres minimum at weaning!

WEANING

calves need four litres of water for every kilo of dry feed consumed - that’s eight litres minimum at weaning!

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

Myth 3

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Myth 4

“Calves always lose weight after weaning”

“Calves need to be kept individually until weaning”

The main reason that calves lose weight post weaning is because their concentrate intake is not yet sufficient, and their weaning hasn’t been managed properly. To sustain the growth rates achieved pre-weaning, the calves must be consuming at least twice the total amount of milk powder being fed, i.e. if a calf is receiving 1kg/day of milk powder it should be consuming at least 2kg of concentrate at weaning for three consecutive days. When calves are on a higher plane of milk nutrition it is important that weaning is managed more carefully. In this case, look at weaning over a three week period instead of the conventional one to two weeks.

Calves actually perform better in pairs or in group housing where the environment is more social. Although housing calves individually has some benefits, this method is set to become outdated with today’s more modern approach to feeding calves, however, individual housing is still seen as beneficial during the first week of life whilst the calf is receiving colostrum and transition feeds. Once past the first week, there is undeniable research showing group housed calves to grow better, have increased cognitive development and more developed rumens. This is largely due to the fact that calves housed in groups consume more starter feed than their isolated counter parts. Group housing calves is also an excellent way of preparing them for entering the herd. De Paula Vieira et al., 2010 found that calves in social housing during the milk feeding phase consumed over 40g more starter per day than individually housed calves and were quicker to find and consume starter post weaning in a new environment. De Paula Vieira et al., 2010. J.Dairy Sci.93:3079-3085

Jess Charlton

Calf Specialist – Shropshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire m: 07990 584740 e: jess.charlton@wynnstay.co.uk

WEANING

to sustain the growth rates achieved preweaning, the calves must be consuming at least twice the total amount of milk powder being fed

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

CALF BARN VENTILATION With the waning of one of the more memorable winter seasons in recent years, the sight of warmer weather, spring rains and green grass can’t come fast enough. With these milder conditions the incidence of respiratory disease decreases dramatically as the spring – summer season progresses. Before we get lost in the coming warmer weather conditions, we should take note of the challenges experienced by our calves during the winter months and how we met those challenges. If your respiratory disease incidence exceeded 10%, a discussion should be had with your veterinarian, nutrition consultant and suppliers as to where current calf protocols, nutrition, bedding management and housing situation may be compromising your calf’s health and welfare.

One size does not fit all Using a pressuring fan attached to a standard “one size fits all” perforated tube is common to aid calf facility ventilation. The distribution of air from these tubes along the length of the tube can be highly variable. For even distribution there must be a balance of static pressure and velocity pressure within the tube. This imbalance often results in higher speed and more air exiting the tube at the far end from the fan and slow and very low

Housing Housing has many components. It should provide shade during hot summer days, protection from rain and snow and excessive wind. It must be; adequately drained, have a well bedded resting area, as well as a good lighting and a ventilation strategy. Igloos® combined with additional roof shelter with perhaps access to outside paddocks are common in the UK with successful calf rearing programmes. There are also many secondary structures on dairies that may have been traditional or a repurposed as calf rearing housing. These structures can provide effective shelter for calves but often are challenged for sufficient ventilation. Traditional UK structures with space boarding are designed to prevent intense wind from blowing rain into housing structures. “natural” ventilation is at the mercy of multiple variables: which direction the wind blows, how intense it is and for how long it blows, all of which can create a widely variable calf environment. Here are a few key points to consider when looking at calf housing:

When implementing a ventilation strategy on your farm consider the following: • Mechanical ventilation should be targeted to exchange the barn’s air volume a minimum of 4X/Hr or once every 15 minutes. Ideally this ventilation rate would increase as ambient temperatures rises to a summer time rate of 30-45X/Hr • Air speeds at the calf level should be 30-60 ft/min until heat abatement air speeds are desired. This level assures we are ventilating especially near the calf bed where the calf’s nose is over 70% of their day. Air speeds over 90 ft/min at the calf can cause a draft on calves

VENTILATION

• Contaminated litter should not be allowed to accumulate for more than 21 days • Frequent removal greatly reduces the humidity and ammonia being released from the litter pack

• A hot wire anemometer is required to measure these air speeds under 1 mph (88 fpm)

• The calf’s nose is often within 6” or less of the bed surface. Stocking density should not be less than 35 sq ft of bedded area per calf

• Calf jackets help reduce heat loss and wind chill effects

• Barn volume per calf should not be less than 600 cu ft per calf

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

volume at near the fan, resulting in drafting calves at one end and providing very little fresh air at the other. I’ve seen this issue result in poor calf health because of both reasons. Additionally, tube ventilation should not be run with a variable speed control. If the tube is designed correctly for static pressure and velocity pressure, adjusting the fans output capacity confounds the air flow balance in the tube and therefore air distribution in the calf facility. Tube systems are designed for a specific air exchange rate for the facility. As ventilation needs increase with ambient air temperature, the tube cannot exceed the designed exchange rate. Utilizing a ventilation strategy that adds continuous fresh air on a controlled basis that can cover a wide range of environmental conditions greatly enhances the calf’s environment. Exhaust Fans Installing exhaust fans to move air through the barn is possible if the barn has air inlet controlled. Space boarding makes the use of pressuring fans desirable to force fresh air into the calf barn to meet the desired air exchange rate combined with commercial grade ceiling fans. Contaminated air leaves the structure through ridge vents, space boarding and door openings. Ceiling fans cause mixing of air, push fresh air and calm air speeds at calf bed level to dilute humidity, ammonia and pathogens during cold/cool weather. When temperatures exceed 70°F the ceiling fans accelerate to cool calves as well as deter flies. The pressurizing fans are run on variable speed to meet the desired air exchange rate depending on environmental conditions.

Dr Michael Wolf

US Vet and Ventilation Expert

VENTILATION

WYNNSTAY are UK Distributors of VES fans & ENVIRALIGHTING

A ventilation specialist from VES Environmental Solutions and Wynnstay support staff can help design a ventilation strategy for your individual facilities challenges, goals and budget of the livestock owner.

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

COLOSTRUM PROTOCOL – FUNDAMENTAL TO CALF HEALTH Max and Vicki Sealy farm 400 acres in partnership with Max’s parents David and Barbara, and also run an agricultural consultancy business. Their core business is a 280 cow autumn and spring calving herd averaging 8,000L supplying milk to Selkley Vale for Cadbury. Replacement heifers are reared, and males, Aberdeen Angus and Belgian Blue cross calves sold on at 3-6 weeks old. However, a major outbreak of disease in the winter of 2016 demanded a rethink of calf husbandry.

In order to have a store of good quality colostrum available at all times it was decided to try and improve the quality of frozen colostrum and the consistency of defrosting it.

Colostrum has always been tested for quality with a colostrometer but latterly staff find a refractometer has been an easier tool to use. The new Store & Thaw Colostrum Management System comprises a refractometer for testing, a filling station, larger flat bags for freezing, and a thermostatically controlled waterbath with baskets and an agitator to warm up for feeding. Vicki comments, “it’s great to be able to leave it on to maintain temperature and defrost easily. The big 5L bags freeze flat and when we are thawing out the colostrum it reaches feeding temperature within 25 minutes.”

THE 4Q RULE

Top Tips for Success

Quickly

Ideally, as soon as possible after

birth, and atthe latest within the first put in here 4Q's of colossix hours trum from page 14

Quietly

Minimise stress for maximum absorption of antibodies

Liasing with the vet and monitoring bloods pointed towards improving transfer of antibodies from colostrum. With three members of staff it was important that a proper colostrum protocol was established so that every newborn calf was treated in the same way.

Quantity

Feed at least 10% of calves birth weight In the first six hours, split into two feeds if necessary

COLOSTRUM PROTOCOL

In order to have a store of good quality colostrum available at all times it was decided to try and improve the quality of frozen colostrum and the consistency of defrosting it. However, the original bags took a long time to defrost in a bucket of hot water, and Vicki started researching a more efficient storage and defrosting system.

Quality

Feed calves with quality colostrum

Blood ZST results are monitored regularly to keep management on track. The biggest group calve in the autumn, so a sample of twothree batches of calves would be bled and recorded, and again in the spring. Bloods are often well above the target (20) with one recently measuring 72! So far, the spring batch is running at less than 2% mortality including stillborn calves. Calf Management Nowadays, when a cow calves, she will be milked as soon as possible. All colostrum from cows and heifers is tested for quality with a refractometer. It must test at 20 (Brix reading) or more for this to be fed, or bagged, labelled and frozen for future use.

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

Calves receive fresh or thawed colostrum, 2-3L mostly within two hours of birth, unless calved at night, and these will be fed at 4.30am the following morning

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Dry cow management: Attention to detail starts long before the calf is born. The ‘far off’ cows are vaccinated with Rotavec at drying off. Three weeks before calving they are moved to the ‘close up’ group, and as they approach calving date, they move to a straw yard opposite the calving pens. Calving pens are mucked out fortnightly and limed in between. Beds are kept well strawed, and cubicles sand bedded. Johnes’ has been monitored for the last 12 months. Any positive cows are marked at drying off, calves are snatched, and the Johnes’ colostrum is dumped. Then healthy frozen colostrum in bags can then be defrosted for immediate use. As Johnes’ is at a low level, pasteurisation is not currently carried out, but as the Store & Thaw system can heat colostrum to 60°C for 60 minutes, this would be possible using the existing equipment.

Important information is recorded on each calf: Time cow calved?

Who fed it?

How much did it take?

Calves receive fresh or thawed colostrum, 2-3L mostly within two hours of birth, unless calved at night, and these will be fed at 4.30am the following morning. The aim is to get 6L in within eight hours ideally. If there is only poor-quality colostrum available, a colostrum replacer is added and all calves receive transition milk for the next 10 days to make the most of the Rotavec vaccine. They then go onto milk powder fed on a twice a day feeding regime until weaning. All feeding equipment is meticulously washed, cleaned and youngest calves fed first through to the oldest last on Wydale feeders. Jacob Ainsworth and student Eugene Drummond are responsible for the calves and have just started weighing with a weighband to monitor growth rates up to weaning. The heifers calve at two years old, so it’s important to keep an eye on growth rates. Vicki records all information on “Interherd”. Gill Dickson

Calf pens are mucked out frequently, limed and allowed to dry if possible. Plenty of straw keeps calves dry and clean.

Calf Specialist PYON Products

COLOSTRUM PROTOCOL

ZST (zinc sulphate turbidity test) results done via the vet shows if antibody transfer was effective.

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

“ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN DAIRY NUTRITION OF OUR TIME”: NEW RESEARCH LINKS EARLY LIFE NUTRITION TO LIFETIME PERFORMANCE The concept of early life nutritional programming and its crucial role in adult health are well established in the human sector, dominating medical journals for the last few years. New data from Trouw Nutrition’s longitudinal study indicates that the same science can benefit dairy cows, showing how early calf nutrition can help ‘program’ a cow’s future metabolism. Experts believe that this may hold the key for improving long-term health and sustainable performance. The LifeStart Program has begun to translate this science into a series of practical on-farm calf management solutions. The link between early nutrition and later performance is a hot topic, with previous research suggesting it has the potential to transform health and productivity of dairy cows. However, until now the mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not been fully understood, preventing its application to practical farm solutions. This is something Trouw Nutrition set out to solve by collaborating with world experts and pioneering a first-of-its kind study.

weeks of life offers a huge opportunity to improve long-term cow health, welfare and performance. But we need to move away from focusing on short term goals and evaluate success in the context of the bigger picture. Research into the impact of early life nutrition is one of the most significant advances in dairy nutrition of our time, with the potential to revolutionise attitudes to calf rearing.” LifeStart science The LifeStart longitudinal study follows 86 individually housed calves receiving either a traditionally low - level of calf milk replacer, CMR, (0.6 kg/d); or an optimised level (1.2 kg/d) in line with the LifeStart Program. Calves were weaned at 56 days of age and group housed at 70 days of age and thereafter provided the same diet and management, with various health, performance and metabolic parameters monitored and measured as they progressed through the production cycle. Importantly, factors such as parity of mother and colostrum feeding were controlled to ensure any effects could be attributed to plane of nutrition only. Leonel Leal explains why the study is unique: “It’s rare to be able to follow so many animals for such a long period of time with a degree of experimental control and measurement as we have obtained in our Trouw Nutrition research facilities. Often studies are limited to only evaluating milk yield responses which does not tell us much about the longer term picture. Also, no other study that I know of has been able to control other influencing factors in the same way.”

We now know that optimising calf rearing and feeding in those first few weeks of life offers a huge opportunity to improve long-term cow health, welfare and performance.

Long-term metabolic functions

TROUW NUTRITION

Researcher Leonel Leal who is in charge of the five year longitudinal study summarises the key findings so far: “It’s clearer than ever that what you feed a calf in those first 60 days of life helps determine her future, and that metabolic programming plays a substantial role in that. The data shows that pre-weaning nutrition has significant carry-over effects on longer-term metabolic functions as well as on a variety of growth, development and performance parameters. By understanding the mode of action, we can better harness the benefits of optimised nutrition for our farms.” Dr Michael Steele, Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta, Canada believes research in this area marks a huge step forward for the industry: “Traditionally we have restricted feeding for calves based on a misconception that this is cost effective. However, we now know that optimising calf rearing and feeding in those first few

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Research insights The preliminary results revealed many marked differences between the two groups. Calves on the optimised LifeStart feeding plan showed sustained metabolic adaptations that remained even nine months after weaning. These include those involved in vital pathways like energy, protein and microbial fermentation. The LifeStart Program appeared to lead to a significantly earlier age at first calving, as well as improved survival to 180 days in milk. Leal outlined next steps for the study: “These mid-term results are extremely exciting and have answered a lot of questions but there are many more to answer. We want to look next at first lactation efficiency, fertility in the first lactation, survival until the second lactation and ongoing metabolic changes amongst other parameters. Because we’re getting results every day, we can adapt and refine our approach for the future – being dynamic is important when investigating a new area.”

Quality vs quantity As well as optimising quantity, research shows that we need to focus on nutritional quality. Trouw Nutrition researcher Dr Harma Berends explains: “Just doubling feed quantities is not the best strategy. For example, data suggests that calves could benefit from an increased energy to protein ratio and lower lactose pre-weaning. We need to focus on restoring optimal natural development of the calf.”

More information about the LifeStart Program and scientific research can be found at www.lifestartscience.com

As the population and pressure on our farming communities continues to grow, we need to challenge the status quo and explore new ways to increase production sustainability. The LifeStart Program connects the latest scientific thinking and expertise with practical on-farm solutions, helping maximise healthy lifetime productivity of livestock – crucial at a time when the industry is under pressure to produce more with less.

Georgina Thomas

Ruminant Technical Manager Trouw Nutrition

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

START ‘N’WEAN Following its inclusion in all WYNNGOLD™ calf milk replacers, the new (exclusive to Wynnstay), combo nutritional and health pack, WYNNGUARD is now a key component in Start ‘n’ Wean calf starter feed.

WYNNGUARD Mannan-Oligosaccharide (MOS) • Sticky sugars which mimic the action of bovine-oligosaccharides (BOS) found naturally in cow’s colostrum and transition milk • Binds pathogenic bacteria such as e.coli and salmonella while supporting the development of good bacteria along the calf gut • Helps ensure calf is better prepared to handle and resist infection leading to a reduction in scour and respiratory associated medication costs

Butyrate • Stimulates consumption - reminds young calf of the smell of its mother’s milk • Secretion of pancreatic enzymes

Rumen specific live yeast • Scavenges oxygen and accelerates the colonisation of beneficial microflora within the rumen • Ensures optimal early rumen development and increased starter intake which means growth targets are more easily achieved

START ‘N’ WEAN

The probiotic and prebiotic combination has been chosen to optimise rumen development as well as help protect the lower gut. It will significantly increase average daily gains and feed conversion ratio and will improve weaning success by ensuring a smoother, safer transition to solid feed.

• Stimulates proliferation of beneficial flora • Increases the development of intestinal villi and secretion on intestinal enzymes

For more information, please contact your local Wynnstay Calf Specialist

www.wynnstayagriculture.co.uk/meet-the-wynnstay-teams.html

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

WYNNGOLDTM CALF MILK REPLACERS What Calf Milk Replacer are you?

• High quality LIVE yeast

development of good bacteria WYNNGUARD • • Supports Helps guard against opportunistic pathogens

• Contains a prebiotic helping bacterial colonisation

ing

Introduc

NEW

UAR Dve G N N WY additi

• Bought-in calves • Whey based 17% 18% OIL

22%

PROTEIN

• Heifers > 800g/day • Whey based 17% OIL

26%

PROTEIN

• Dairy and beef • Skim based 20% OIL

23%

PROTEIN

• Beef or dairy • Whey based 18% OIL

• High energy • Whey based

22%

20%

PROTEIN

OIL

23%

PROTEIN

• High quality • Whey based 20% OIL

23%

PROTEIN

• Dairy and beef • Whey based 19% OIL

21%

PROTEIN

• Heifers > 800g/day • Whey based 20% OIL

27%

PROTEIN

WYNNGUARD additive is the ultimate additive for calf health and All WYNNGOLD Calf Milk Replacers contain 500iu vit E. The new WYNNGUARD performance, now available in our range of WYNNGOLD milks and AdVance Start ‘n’ Wean, offering your calves total digestive tract protection. With specific sticky sugars that mimic the action of bovine-oligosaccharides (BOS) found naturally in cow’s colostrum and transition milk, the inclusion of WYNNGUARD into our milk formulas means that your calves will continue to receive what mother nature intended, even after the calf has left mum. WYNNGUARD

CALF MILK REPLACERS

mate The ulti ealth and h for calf ance perform

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

MEASURE TO MONITOR Performance of calves can only be monitored if the time is taken to measure, directly or indirectly. Direct measures: These are done “at the time”, for example measuring heights/weights using a weightape (or electronic scales if available) at a point in time. Indirect measures: Using retrospective data such as service and calving age/weights to determine performance.

Reduced calving age from one year to the next may suggest improved calf and heifer rearing; however it is months later when we can make these assumptions. If a heifer is first served at 18 months old, it can be assumed that there are improvements to be made to allow future heifers to reach service weight earlier. But it is difficult at this point to then determine at which stage of rearing that this heifer didn’t meet her targets and fell behind.

For example, if a dairy heifer has not doubled her birth weight by weaning it is highlighted there and then allowing for decisions to be made as to whether to push her on or remove her from the herd. If it appears that a number of animals (as opposed to an individual) are not reaching their weaning target, it may be worth focusing on the following: • Does the farm have a robust colostrum management protocol? • Are all team members sticking to it? Regular monitoring of bloods can be hugely beneficial as a way of monitoring how successful the colostrum protocol is being implemented • Are calves getting sufficient milk solids to allow them to reach the growth rates required? • Is milk delivered consistently each day? (time of day, volume, concentration, temperature) • Is there a standardised weaning protocol? Is this appropriate? • What are the levels of disease on the farm? Can they be reduced further? Bovine Refractometer 73679

MEASURE TO MONITOR

The more accurate, and instant, measure of progress is to weigh calves and heifers at stages through their rearing process to continuously assess whether they are on track to hitting the targeted 800g daily live weight gain, only through the data collected can you then decide if changes need to be made to your current rearing protocols.

• Enables management of colostrum quality and its feeding practices on farm • Hand held device • Time efficient analysis

If weights are looking great at weaning but seem to drop off in the following months, consider: • Were the calves eating 2-2.5kg/day of a good quality starter nut at weaning? • Have they stayed in the same, comfortable social groups or been mixed with others? • Have you changed the diet much? • Was access to fresh clean water available at all times? • Have all weaning stress factors been reduced as much as possible?

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Set appropriate targets

Carrying animals that are continually below their targets can be a real cost to any business, and breeding replacements from heifers that have always struggled can get farms into a vicious cycle of producing calves that may be prone to under-performing! So, measuring not only assists in highlighting the weak areas for farms to focus on, but can also help in breeding decisions – breed replacements from the best (the girls that have always been on track)! Setting long term targets is important; research has repeatedly found calving heifers between 22-24 months enables them to be the most healthy and profitable animals.

Discuss a feeding regime with a Wynnstay Calf Specialist (who will draw up farm specific protocols)

In summary, setting targets and knowing what your long term goals are is key to success. Monitoring progress of the animals is the only way to know if targets are being met and allow for problem solving if not. The Wynnstay Calf Team are happy to assist in developing farm specific protocols for various stages through calf and heifer rearing, we can also help you monitor the growth rates through the WYNNGOLD™ Initiative and anonymously benchmark your results with other farms.

Regularly monitor progress at set stages

Setting long term targets is important; research has repeatedly found calving heifers between 22-24 months enables them to be the most healthy and profitable animals

Adjust feeding regimes if necessary to keep animals on track

55-60%

90%

Achieve 90% mature body weight by calving

Sammy Howorth

Calf Specialist – Lancashire and Cumbria m: 07810 444948 e: sammy.howorth@wynnstay.co.uk

MEASURE TO MONITOR

Achieve 55-60% mature body weight by 14-16 months and serve

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

INVESTMENT AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL BOOST CALF GROWTH Improving calf rearing is helping a Pembrokeshire business tighten the calving pattern and expand the herd Moving to autumn calving while increasing herd size from 370 to 450 cows from their own resources are major objectives for brothers Peter and Michael Smith at the 260 hectare (650 acre) Pelcomb Farm near Haverfordwest; to achieve them will require outstanding calf and heifer rearing. “We want to make maximum use of grass, and autumn calving made a lot of sense,” comments Peter Smith. “We could focus on winter feeding while cows were at peak and were being rebred, and then could push them sensibly at grass without the complications of trying to graze fresh calvers. “All year round calving ended up being more complicated and harder work and this must have impacted on costs of production. We ended up keeping some cows in all year round and running two different grazing groups, all of which made for more work; and fertility always dropped when cows went out.”

meaning fewer heifers were hitting the target,” Peter admits. Following discussion with Wynnstay Dairy Specialist Ken March they agreed to try the LifeStart system pioneered by Trouw Nutrition which involves feeding enhanced levels of specially formulated milk replacers. “Feeding pre-weaning calves on an elevated plane of nutrition offers a one-off window of opportunity for accelerated growth and development,” Georgina Thomas, Ruminant Technical Manager with Trouw Nutrition GB comments. “The pre-weaning period provides a unique chance to exploit the full genetic potential of calves.”

IMPROVING CALF REARING

Feeding pre-weaning calves on an elevated plane of nutrition offers a one-off window of opportunity for accelerated growth and development Having had a closed herd for over 80 years, they want to expand using their own heifers with a target of two-year calving, but five years ago problems with Johnes’ knocked their plans. “We didn’t expect to see Johnes’ in the closed herd, eventually tracing it back to some rented land where we had been running youngstock and dry cows,” Peter continues. “Because we were rearing heifer calves on waste milk at the time it got established in the herd, it has taken us five years to get levels down again.” To reduce the incidence in the herd the decision was taken to stop rearing heifers on waste milk, although bull calves remained on surplus milk. They tried several milk replacers but were not happy with the results, with reduced growth rates and increased losses. “The heifers were growing slower than the bulls. We switched formulations of replacer to no effect and the poorer growth was

“Conventional calf-rearing systems restrict the amount of milk or milk replacer fed during the first weeks of a calf’s life in an effort to encourage solid feed intake and allow earlier weaning,” she explains. “Numerous trials clearly show that a higher plane of nutrition pre-weaning results in higher milk yields when the calf enters the herd, ranging from 300 – 1,300kg extra in the first lactation.

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

“When calves are fed at a higher rate pre-weaning they develop faster. Research shows these calves develop larger key organs, including the hearts, lungs and livers and this is not just due to them being larger animals. All the organs were larger when expressed as a percentage of body weight. They also had better mammary gland development which is essential for the future productivity of the cow.

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

“We build intakes of the WYNNGOLD™ Rich Cream over two weeks until we are feeding 8L a day, with 4L morning and evening, at a concentration of 150g/L to give daily intake of 1.2kg milk replacer per day. We never change the concentration but increase the volume fed. “We build up from 2L per feed to the 4L over a two week period, depending how well calves are drinking. We provide coarse mix from day one, then change over to starter nuts and they can pick over straw. “Weaning is the reverse of this. We wean over 10-14 days reducing the volume fed both morning and evening. We are looking for consistent intakes of 2kg/day before weaning - this enables us to minimise the risk of a growth check when we remove the milk. “Once weaned the calves move out of the tunnels into larger groups and are fed on a mix on 50:50 grass silage and wholecrop with 3.5kg of Start ‘n’ Wean nuts from Wynnstay. We initially create groups of 30 and then increase to 60.”

“The research also shows that calves never make up the shortfall in growth rates and organ development if fed at lower rates pre-weaning. This pre-weaning phase offers an unrepeatable opportunity to set calves up for life.” Careful administration of high quality milk replacer combined with sound management techniques establishes a solid foundation for improved lifetime performance. She stresses that farmers need to have a professional approach to calf rearing focusing on the 5Cs of cleanliness, colostrum, comfort, calories and consistency. The nutritional formulation of milk replacers is also crucial, allowing feed rates of at least 900g/day of milk replacer to be fed safely.

Performance on the elevated feed rates has been significant. The Smith’s take part in a calf tracking scheme run by their vets, Allen and Partners from Whitland. Calves are weigh banded every fortnight and the farm is currently one of the best performing in the group. “On the enhanced feed rate calves are growing at 0.95kg/day on average while on the normal level the growth rates were around 0.75kg/day,” Ken March comments. “Calves are doubling their birthweight in six weeks compared to eight weeks previously. Health has been excellent too. Since August 2017 Karen has reared 290 calves and only lost one, and that was a twin. “Getting calves off to a better start will allow the Smith’s to achieve their targets of increasing the herd from their own resources while moving to autumn block calving.”

“The tunnels provide an excellent environment for the calves with good airflow while the separate feeding and bedded areas mean calves stay much cleaner. We bed them on a bark base with sawdust on top which is a comfortable but absorbent surface.” Calf rearing is now the responsibility of Karen Goulding who joined the business two years ago. Initially she fed a conventional replacer at a standard rate but has moved onto enhanced rate feeding with a LifeStart formulated product and is pleased with the results. After receiving colostrum, calves are put into groups of 10, remaining in the same group through to weaning. All calves are vaccinated against pneumonia. Pens are operated on an all in: all out basis and are cleaned and disinfected between groups. Sandy Wilson

“The tunnels are very airy and keep the calves dry which is good but if the temperature drops below 10°C then the calves will waste energy trying to keep warm, so we use calf coats on the youngest animals as required,” Karen explains.

Calf Specialist - North, West & Mid Wales m: 07879 841672 e: sandy.wilson@wynnstay.co.uk

IMPROVING CALF REARING

Previously they had used calf hutches but given the large number of calves now on farm at any one time heifer calves are now reared in a polytunnel system which Peter and Michael first heard about in New Zealand, with two UK sourced tunnels each measuring 168’ long with distinct bedding and feeding areas.

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

ELEVATED MILK FEEDING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO EFFECT END CARCASS Recent years have seen research turn toward calf rearing and capitalising on the genetic potential of the animal; with a particular focus on dairy calves. There is limited information on feeding and rearing beef calves, with even less on how feeding calves can impact finishing age and carcass quality. We are now beginning to see supermarket requirements for beef changing, with a greater demand for uniform cuts, and as farmers we invest so much at the finishing stage to meet these requirements.

A study carried out at Harper Adams University examined the effect of feeding elevated levels of milk replacer on the lifetime performance of intensively finished bulls. A total of 34 British Blue x Holstein bull calves were reared on either 750g or 900g of calf milk replacer and then fed through to slaughter on an intensive cereal beef system. The calves were fed 5L of milk per day via teat from a Wydale feeder and offered ad-lib early weaning concentrates. Milk feed rates were gradually reduced to weaning at day 42.

The real question is, how do we produce a carcass that is both economically efficient and appealing to the consumer from these dairy x beef animals?

Missed opportunity

REARING BEEF CALVES

What if we are missing a vital stage in the beef animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life? One where we can influence the carcass and, ultimately, our margin in the first few weeks of life? Would we choose to rear these calves in a different manner and invest more in the calf during when it has its highest feed conversion ratio? The artificially reared beef calf is a rapidly expanding sector, in which little light has previously been shed. The traditional UK suckler herd is in decline â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with numbers the lowest we have seen since the 1980s. A staggering 52% of the beef we eat now originates from the dairy herd. Whether we agree or disagree, it looks like dairy x beef is here to stay. The real question is, how do we produce a carcass that is both economically efficient and appealing to the consumer from these dairy x beef animals? We know from previous research that feeding elevated levels of milk replacer results in a significantly heavier calf at weaning and 12 weeks. The question now posed; is this advantage eventually diluted by compensatory growth, or can this elevated milk feed affect the lifetime performance of beef animals?

At 12 weeks, the bulls were offered ad-lib concentrates from hoppers, with straw offered ad-lib from racks. The cattle were then selected for slaughter at a target fat class three and slaughtered at ABP, Shrewsbury.

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Results were as follows: CMR Treatment

750g

900g

Slaughter wt (kg)

575

582

Age at slaughter (days)

417 (13.6)

401 (13.1)

DLWG from birth (kg)

1.27

1.33

Table 1: Animal performance (kg)

CMR Treatment

750g

900g

Carcase wt (kg)

321.1

328.8

Kill out (%)

55.8

56.5

Carcase DG from birth (kg) 0.78

0.82

Conformation1 (1-15)

7.2 (R-)

7.5 (R-/R=)

Fat class1 (1-15)

5.4 (2=/2+)

4.8 (2=)

CMR Treatment

750g

900g

Carcase price (£/kg)1

3.32

3.35

Carcase value (£)

1,068

1,101

Table 2: Carcase characteristics

Table 3: Financial performance (£)

Based on the beef prices prevailing at the time of the study, the bulls fed 900g CMR as calves recorded an increase in carcase value worth £33 per bull. This easily recoups the increase in calf rearing costs of £13 with feeding higher levels of CMR. The earlier slaughter of these bulls would result in a reduction in feed intakes thus further increasing the margin.

From the results, we can see that the calves fed with more milk replacer recorded significantly higher carcase DLWGs ...

Artificially rearing beef calves is an area which will need more research and investigation to fully understand how we can optimise the effect on carcass quality, however, from these initial studies the results are promising. They suggest what we have suspected for some time that, similar to the dairy industry, the first 12 weeks of a beef calf’s life has an impact on lifetime performance

Eimear Diamond

Calf Specialist, South & South West England m: 07881 379008 e: Eimear.diamond@wynnstay.co.uk

REARING BEEF CALVES

From the results, we can see that the calves fed with more milk replacer recorded significantly higher carcase daily gains and were slaughtered 16 days earlier. There was a trend for higher DLWGs from birth to slaughter, they also recorded heavier carcase weights (+7.7kg).

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

MEADOW QUALITY Meadow Quality a farming partnership

A fair price for quality calves

Meadow Quality are a well-established livestock marketing company with over 40 years trading history. Unique in its size, the firm trades over ½ million animals annually and deal with multiple species, including: cattle, sheep and pigs marketed from young stock, stores, finished and cull animals. The business is 100% farmer owned and thrives in a constantly evolving marketplace. It supports and encourages its producers, providing a reliable marketing platform for both members and its farmers.

Meadow quality offer a competitive, transparent pricing mechanism that rewards quality and consistency. Calves are valued on farm and the farmers offered a publicised pricelist. Meadow quality also offer dairy farmers access to the top 10% high genetic stock bulls, allowing producers to choose easy calving bulls with improved conformation and strong daily live weight gain ability. Rearers producing calves sired by these superior bulls are recording earlier finishing ages and better grading profile.

Meadow Quality are the largest calf marketing company in the UK, with over 48,000 calves marketed through the business last year alone. They have a dedicated-on farm team offering support and advice, and have a keen eye for calves and carry out valuations. The company source both dairy and beef crosses from British dairy farms by geographic region.

Meadow quality are always looking to work with more all year - round calving herds and Holstein/Friesian cows. Calves are bought between 3-5 weeks, at optimum weight of 60 kg, with good health and conformation for age. Simon Fryar, commercial manager for Meadow Quality, when discussing the challenges that face calf rearers, commented that farmers “must be reactive to situations and think on your feet, every day we are faced with new challenges whether that would be the wind speed or direction, temperature, or age of a calf, you must be able to adjust to different circumstances and be aware of your calves needs. To solve a problem take it back to nature, what does a calf really need?” A producer who contract rears as well as purchases his own calves from Meadow Quality is Roy Turner of Westmead Farm, Coventy. Mr Roy Turner, along with his wife Katie and daughters Charlotte and Rachel, run a mixed farm of 450 ewes and 350/400 cattle kept at any one time. The family have been dealing with Meadow Quality for over eight years, rearing approximately 700 black and whites through the system per year.

MEADOW QUALITY

Collection Centres and grading process

Their calves are purchased in batches of 70 ranging from two-four weeks of age, with 30 being reared to finish through their own system and the other 40 are contract reared for Meadow Quality. On arrival, the calves are treated with Bovipast as part of the vaccine protocol determined with the vet. They are then grouped in pens of five in accordance with their size and age. Calves are fed through a milk bar system on Wynngold Stellar, alongside Start ‘n’ Wean which is offered ad-lib. Fresh forage and water are always available and calves move to Elite Beef nuts upon weaning.

They have two collection centres, located in Chippenham and Shropshire. These cover all major dairy areas across England and Wales, operating weekly, with a TB orange collection twice monthly. Once the calves are viewed and valued on farm, they are either delivered by producer or collected by an ABM approved haulier. In the collection centre the team weigh and grade the calves whilst carrying out health checks, the calves are then batched into groups to fulfil customers pre orders or for onward consignment to designated meadow quality rearers. All calves through the system are forward sold allowing a measurable and manageable supply chain solution for farmers and corporate businesses.

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

During the milk feeding phase, calves are fed 150g/L across six litres, equating to 900g per day of powder fed. After a week they are then increased to 175g/L, equating to 1,050g per day. Once having been on the unit for three weeks, the calves are moved to a once a day system where they are fed 200g/L, equating to 1,200g per day.

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Calves are fed through a milk bar system on WYNNGOLD™ Stellar, alongside Start ‘ n’ Wean which is offered ad-lib

Roy believes in maximising growth during the early stages of the calves life, making the most of their early feed conversion. As the calves are contract reared, meeting the required growth targets is crucial for the profitability of his business. Getting the calves off to a good start is important, but the success at Westmead farm isn’t solely down to milk feeding, as Roy says ‘I believe attention to detail is a key part to ensuring our system is profitable and productive, I also believe in consistency this stemming from the type of calf, quality of milk replacer, temperature when fed and the time of day.’ Measuring performance Rachel has a keen interest in monitoring the performance of the calves, regularly weighing them. She says “Our calves are averaging 1kg a day of growth until 10 weeks of age, they are brought into the system weighing approximately 60kg and leave at 130kg to be finished on another farm”. Some of the calves brought onto the unit stay there for finishing, the end product being Rose Veal. Their aim is to have the animals reaching a weight of 450kgs at 10 ½ - 11 months, grading from -O/O+/R - 3/4L.

Millie Hendy

Calf Specialist, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Midlands m: 07717 495746 e: millie.hendy@wynnstay.co.uk

MEADOW QUALITY

When asked why they choose to buy from Meadow Quality, Roy said ‘I buy from Meadow quality as I do not have time to go to market to source the amount of calves we put through our system and fully appreciate the consistency of groups of calves MQ are able to supply me 12 months of the year.

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

STRAIGHTLINE BEEF – FULLY INTEGRATED BEEF BUSINESS FROM CONCEPTION TO CONSUMPTION Integration is the bringing together of processes to form one managed production system allowing better management, efficiency and streamlining of production to improving margin alongside quality of the final product. Integrated beef supply In early 2014 Rob Drysdale started a new venture, taking the findings of a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, and 20 years of experience as a dairy and beef vet. StraightLine Beef (SLB) is a fully integrated, managed supply chain, taking control at every step of the production process contracting pregnancies on several large dairy farms to take the beef calves through to finishing. From an initial batch of 60 head, the business has grown steadily and is looking to finish 400 head per month from January 2019. Within every batch of cattle there is a spread of performance: from fast growing, big animals through to slower growing, smaller cattle. By drawing finished cattle on a weekly basis selection is based on each customer with groups sent to three different processors: to ensure the value of each and every carcass is maximised, whilst reducing waste and improving returns to both the abattoir and farm.

Dairy beef Integrated supply

CONCEPTION TO CONSUMPTION

Working back from its customer requirements SLB can plan each stage of the production process to produce a carcass that meets the specified quality and consistency the abattoir is looking for. The business now supplies the likes of Co-Op, West Country beef, London restaurants and export markets such as Hong Kong. Integration of the supply chain means a quality product delivered to the processor each and every time with the aim for a consistent carcass that is from a young, healthy animal and: • Ideal fat depth for native breeds of 3L to 4L

SLB takes calves from dairy farms with have a history of TB restrictions, where bull calves have often been seen as an unnecessary problem. The business links sexed semen, genomics and high EBV sires for AI to contract beef cross pregnancies that will improve returns to the dairy farmer. An opportunity exists to grow UK beef supply, with the country only 70% self-sufficient and a public that wants British Beef and willing to pay for quality. The resulting calves enter the integrated beef business, with all the calves reared in the same way. At 5-6 months old and >200kg the calves are split depending on their eventual finishing programmes:

• Is tender: from age and uniform lifetime growth

1. Cereal and starch finished, intensive TMR system for 100% dairy steers

• Is tasty: from a lifetime of good nutrition and a balanced finishing diet

2. Grass based, semi-intensive system for native breeds such as Angus and Hereford

• Has a dependable level of marbling, fat cover and colour: for good cooking and taste

3. Grass grown then intensively finished for continental cross All the programmes are aiming for 280-330kg carcass with 3/4L fat class.

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Healthy calves are key to success The raw material for the beef system is a healthy calf, just as for a dairy replacement. Calves move to the rearing units at 14-21 days old, and reared in batches of 60-120 head, following an “all in all out” system. Health protocols are introduced to mitigate the risk of disease on the calf unit and avoid the use of antibiotics: 1. Blood samples are undertaken to check colostrum levels at 4-10 days old 2. High levels of good quality feed to encourage a healthy immune system 3. Vaccination and immune stimulation are all utilised towards improving the calf’s own ability to avoid infections 4. FeverTag is used in every calf to help monitor for early signs of problems and reduce the use of antibiotics 5. Excellent husbandry standards and working practices are followed to reduce stress to the calves 6. Cleansing and disinfection between each batch is vital to reduce the risk of disease

Measure to manage Across all stages of the farming business the stock are followed using EID and a cloud based management system. Weights are checked at key points in the production cycle (birth, weaning, 120/180/240/300/400 days and slaughter) with targets set depending on breed and sex. Cost per kilogram of gain, and DLWG (daily liveweight gain) are two of the main metrics StraightLine Beef monitors. Growing beef takes time, with costs mounting daily. Cost per kilogram of gain allows overall system efficiency to be monitored: the aim is to grow from 50kg calf to 600kg finished animal over an average 16 months at <£1.10/kg and >1.2kg/day of gain. Without routine performance monitoring any feed or health plan changes would be hard to justify, whilst comparing sires allows for future selection of genetics back at the dairy unit.

Rob Drysdale

StraightLine Beef

CONCEPTION TO CONSUMPTION

It takes on average 70 days for the calves to reach >120kg. An accelerated growth programme is followed, aiming for >1kg/day of DLWG: target intakes of 30kg of Wynnstay Stellar calf milk replacer and 100kg of Wynnstay Beef Rearer 17% nuts alongside ad-lib machine ground wheat straw are used. The beef nut has 10% inclusion rate of nutritionally improves straw (NIS) to help rumen development and gut stability.

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

RESEARCH IN THE USA Rosendale Dairy On the first day of the trip we headed to Pickett, Wisconsin to visit Rosendale Dairy. Rosendale Dairy is an intensive dairy farm, consisting of nearly 9,000 herd of cattle. They have two 80-point rotary parlours that run side by side, each running for 23 hours per day milking on average 600 cows per hour. The herd is split into sub herds and all of the first and second lactation cows are separate from the main herd. We had a fantastic tour of the farm and had a great discussion with the herd manager on his main focuses and cow management. The farm employed around 90 members of staff. The unit hosts more than 10,000 visitors per year and prides itself on its openness and willingness to educate the public.

Genomic Selection for healthier calves?-Its Here!-Dr Weigel Take home points: • CLARIFIDE® Plus for Holsteins can genetically improve calf health and survival with three calf wellness traits: calf livability, respiratory disease and scours • The calf wellness trait information can help to obtain the full lifetime value of healthier calves to increase profitability and impact all six financial drivers impacting net farm income • With more and more herds in the UK and US using genomic testing it makes sense that farmers should have the ability to make genetic selection for healthier Holstein calves

They had 1,200 calves born in August alone! Take home point: Staff management was really at the heart of the whole business, they invested a lot of time, money and effort into developing their staff. For such a large operation the staff turnover was very low. Although milk price is low, they are driving for efficiency but they were unwilling to compromise on staff welfare. Calf Source The calf source unit is the main rearing unit, it has space to house over 12,000 calves under six months old. It has 4,500 individually housed calf pens and span over 75 rows. The calves arrive from between 24hours-7days old. The pre-weaned calves are fed a combination of pasteurised whole milk and milk replacer balancer with adlib access to water and grain. The unit usually runs on a mortality rate of less than 1%. The calves are weaned between 7-8 weeks old and are then moved into purpose built weaned calf shed with temperature-controlled gale breakers. The calves are then grouped into batches of 10 and fed ad-lib grain 20% and hay/alfalfa hay. At four and a half months olds the calves are moved onto a TMR and small training cubicles.

During the visit to ST genetics we explored the history and advancement in sexing semen. There are a large number of herds in the US using sexed semen in far larger quantities than ever before. This is due to a huge advancement in the success of sexed semen and discussed the latest in genomic testing and sexing technologies. Many farmers are now breeding their heifers and 1st calvers to sexed semen, with the rest of the herd going to beef, this ensures the farmer has sufficient heifers while gaining a better income through the sales of the beef x calves. We were also lucky enough to have a tour around their stud barn where there were 120 of some of the world’s finest bulls, we also saw the collection facility, lab and distribution centre.

RESEARCH IN THE USA

Take home point: having purpose built post weaned heifer pens ensured an easy transition from milk to grain while reducing labour and increasing health and productivity.

Visit to ST genetics facility - Fond du Lac, Wis

The semen is collected twice per week and there are 60-80 bulls being sampled at any one time.

Highlight- meeting Martha- 3 x Champion at the World Dairy Expo

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

Vir-Clar Farms, Fond do Lac, Wisconsin Exceptional calf care protocols and cleanliness were key to calf management success on this 2,000 cow dairy herd. We had to the opportunity to discuss the protocols with the calf manager Katie Grinshead, she discussed their approach to getting calves off to the best possible start. Some of the highlights included their excellent maternity pen management, newborn protocol, sanitation practices and calf nutrition. On Farm demonstration: Dehorning calves with caustic paste Seminar Highlights The milk fed calf, social housing and welfare - Marina Von Kerserligk Marina’s talk was extremely interesting as she outlined the research looking at calf behaviours associated with milk hunger and correlated perceptions of animal welfare. She also discussed the negative effect individual housing has on the cognitive development of dairy calves and how group or pair housing increased DLWG and starter intakes. Advances in colostrum management - Dr. Sandra Gooden Dr Godden discussed the key aspects of a successful colostrum management programme and recent advances in feeding clean colostrum and the importance of farm level monitoring. Take Home messages: • Clean/pasturised colostrum can improve the calves ability to absorb more IgGs

Calf barns designed for calf health - Ken Nordlund Ken discussed the fact that calf barns can equal calf hutches in the reduced risk for respiratory and enteric disease, but also provide improved working conditions for caregivers. Key points: • Use positive pressure tube ventilation systems to supplement natural ventilation • Drainage below bedding should be considered • Consider all in all out grouping systems • Avoid cold stress by using deep straw • Good drainage

Jess Charlton

Calf Specialist – Shropshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire m: 07990 584740 e: jess.charlton@wynnstay.co.uk

RESEARCH IN THE USA

• Monitoring is the key to success

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

COCCI AND CRYPTO CONTROL AT CALVING TIME Coccidiosis and Cryptosporidiosis are caused by oocysts which thrive in a livestock environment. Both of these micro-organisms can cause illness in cattle with youngstock being particularly liable to infection. In many cases animals will show few external symptoms but will simply fail to thrive, squeezing profit margins. It is possible to use medication to shorten the length of any illness and reduce the chance of secondary infection however it is far more effective to reduce infection rates in the first place by preventing the intake of oocysts by young animals. This is where having a robust biosecurity plan in place on your farm is crucial to prevent the rate of infection and spread of disease thereby increasing profitability of each animal. Implementing a cleaning and disinfection programme can seem like a daunting process but in fact the steps are relatively simple. It is important to accurately assess the current situation including the disease status of the herd and any hygiene procedures already in process. The initial stage would be to remove livestock from the housing area and muck out before commencing an effective clean using a foaming detergent designed to remove soiling and grease. This should be thoroughly rinsed and allowed to dry. The key stage is to then apply a targeted disinfectant which is effective against the oocysts responsible for coccidiosis and cryptosporidiosis. Apply the disinfectant following the usage instructions and then the pens can be rebedded ready for the animals to return. It may also be useful to introduce a hygienic bedding powder to enhance the sanitation in the area.

• Can be used in Poultry, Pig, Sheep, Goat & Cattle Housing • Eliminates risk of residues (Cyuranic acid free) • Contains no chemicals of industry concern (QUAT- free) The Bedding Conditioner - Envirex Containing a unique combination of 2% w/w of the proven biocidal product Virex in a base powder formulation comprised of mineral desiccants and essential oils specifically designed to maintain a dry, healthy environment for all types of livestock animals. The Base Powder formulation is comprised of ingredients which; • Ensure longevity of the product even under high humidity conditions • Do not paste up to form clumps after drying • Reduce greasiness in animal accommodation, aiding in promoting a non-slip environment. • Have a greater absorptive capacity than that of any other clay. • Help prevent the skin from drying, keeping it supple and less likely to suffer from lacerations.

The Detergent - Ecofoam Advanced Using a quality detergent to remove all organic matter prior to disinfection is paramount to the routine. Ecofoam Advanced has been developed specifically for this purpose. An ultra-high performance alkaline long cling foam cleaner designed to clean heavily soiled areas. • Advanced “Wet Film Foam” Technology gives enhanced cling to all surfaces • Ideal on porous surfaces • Excellent removal of carbohydrate, starch, fat and protein deposits • Fully effective regardless of water hardness • Proven to significantly reduce time and workload required during wash down The Disinfectant - Cyclex This DEFRA, DAERA (NI) and Dept. of Agriculture approved disinfectant is clinically proven in the defence against oocysts responsible for coccidiosis and cryptosporidiosis.

HYGIENE

• Practical easy to apply solution, easy to mix and easy to use • Specially formulated, chlorocresol based disinfectant with strong microbiocidal properties (passed EN1656, EN1657,EN14349) • Passed the rigorous testing requirements recommended by the German Veterinary Association (DVG) against spore-forming oocysts.

It is also important to consider the nutrition and management routine for young calves to give them the best possible start in life. Ensuring the calf receives adequate colostrum after birth ensures they receive the required antibodies to boost the immune system and fight diseases. A calf will only start to produce its own antibodies slowly over the first 3-4 weeks from birth and it may be necessary to supplement the dam’s colostrum to ensure the calf gets the maximum protection. Reviewing your process for handling and housing calves can also help reduce the spread of disease within a herd. Rearing in batches to avoid younger calves mixing with or being accommodated in areas used by older calves can help prevent cross contamination. All livestock handlers or visitors to the farm should also follow appropriate biosecurity measures such as foot dips and hand washing to prevent disease being transferred between areas. For more information on how Kilco can enhance your biosecurity get in touch today.

WYNNSTAY AGRICULTURE

FOCUS ON CALVES 2018

EQUIPMENT Holm & Laue Computerised Calf Feeder

Förster Technik Vario Feeder

Holm & Laue Milk Taxi

Volac Milk Shuttle

Pasteuriser versions also available

100L, 150L, 200L and 250L

Urban Alma Pro

Wydale 5 Calf Feeder 36673

Milk Bar Twin Feeder 10835

Feeds up to 120 calves

PYON Heatwave 60625

Feeds up to 120 calves

Calf’s Choice Total® 71911

WYNNGOLDTM Colostrum Management Kit

Feeds up to 30 calves

Natural Bovine Colostrum

Efficient collection to freeze colostrum

EQUIPMENT

68330

www.wynnstaydairy.uk

t: 0808 168 7998 dairy@wynnstay.co.uk To find your local store visit

www.wynnstayagriculture.co.uk Wynnstay Feeds Llansantffraid Office: 01691 828512 Carmarthen Office: 01267 231341 Rhosfawr Office: 01766 819066

Wynnstay Arable Seed: 01939 210777 Fertiliser: 01939 211266 Crop Protection: 01939 210555 GrainLink: 01939 210500

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the details supplied in this publication are correct as of March 2018, Wynnstay cannot be held responsible for any inaccurate information. Information contained within this publication should be used as a guide only please seek specialist advice before purchasing. Photography and product images used within this publication have been used as a guide only.

Wynnstay (Agricultural Supplies) Ltd • Eagle House • Llansantffraid • Powys • SY22 6AQ Registration No. 5009019 Part of Wynnstay Group Plc • Eagle House • Llansantffraid • Powys SY22 6AQ Registration No: 2704051 Telephone: 01691 828512 • Fax: 01691 828690 • Email: info@wynnstay.co.uk • www.wynnstay.co.uk Registered in Wales and England Vat Reg No. 168 7221 87

@WynnstayGroup WN2702