Neogen's genomic testing services offer farmers unbiased genetic data, aiding in precise breeding and management decisions. According to Neogen’s Technical sales specialist, Rob Horn, this data, presented via an easy-to-use dashboard, tracks genetic progress and identifies herd management issues. Genomic testing, which is 70% accurate compared to 1% for visual assessment, ensures healthier herds by identifying BVD-positive heifers early. Dr. Aaron Brown of Trouw Nutrition outlines the importance of high-quality milk replacers, which enhance gastro-intestinal development and overall growth in calves. Feeding calves close to their appetite levels during the first eight weeks promotes efficient nutrient absorption, better health, and immunity against common infections like scours. Virbac’s vet and ruminant advisor Kate Ingram adds that vaccinating dams against rotavirus, coronavirus, and E. coli improves colostrum quality, protecting newborns. Sufficient colostrum management, along with strict hygiene protocols, can significantly reduce scours, particularly from Cryptosporidium. Combining these strategies ensures optimal calf health and breeding efficiency, leading to a more productive and resilient herd.
Optimising early calf development and breeding decisions: key insights for UK dairy farmers
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Rearing dairy replacements is the second biggest cost after feed for any dairy farmer so ensuring calves are given the best chance possible to reach their potential is essential.
Healthy calves are the future of any dairy herd, and so they deserve the best management, informed by the latest research and advice. Where farmers make the best management decisions and implement these effectively, their investment will be repaid when heifers go on to thrive in the milking herd. Central to producing healthy, productive and long lived animals are genetics, nutrition, health and hygiene and each element can have a significant impact on animal welfare and the bottom line.
It all starts with genetics which strongly influence almost every aspect of the performance of a dairy cow from fertility to feed efficiency and from conformation to longevity. Choosing the right genetics for the next generation of dairy replacements is one of the most important decisions, and advancements in genomics have made this possible. Using this technology, very reliable and informed choices can be made about a range of relevant traits. Rob Horn, Neogen’s Technical Sales Specialist says genomic profiling offers substantial benefits to the farm business because of the detailed information it provides. "Genomics relies on scientific analysis of the DNA sequence provided by a tissue sample taken from a calf as young as two days old." he says. Genomics not only provides information about the potential of each animal in terms of a range of different traits. “Each farm is different and genomics can be used to target the traits which are most relevant to the herd, whether it is milk yield, fertility, longevity, milk components or many more. Those females which score the highest for the desired traits can be chosen as replacements and served with sexed semen, whereas the poorer scoring animals can either be served to beef or could be sold off farm,” Mr Horn explains. Ensuring that replacements are healthy and free of endemic diseases such as BVD is vital. Neogen offers a BVD test in combination with the genomic testing and Mr Horn points to the cost savings which can arise from identifying any persistently infected (PI) animals at a very young age. “The results of the BVD test are available within a couple of days, before further testing, so infected samples can be removed thus avoiding unnecessary expenditure on genomic testing. It costs around £1800 to rear a calf so an early positive BVD result can lead to a considerable saving.”
The role of genetics
Sabrina Jordan, Farm Product Manager at Virbac
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Preventing disease in dairy calves is critical if they are to reach their potential as many commonly occurring infections in calves can have implications for the long term wellbeing of these animals. Scour is the most common disease in young calves, responsible for almost 50 percent of calf deaths in the UK. There are a number of different infectious organisms which can cause scours including Cryptosporidiosis, Rotavirus, Coccidiosis, coronavirus and E. Coli and they can all compromise growth rates and long term health. The implementation of simple hygiene protocols is effective in reducing the occurrence of scours, according to Kate Ingram, a vet with Virbac. “Over-stocking is a risk factor for scouring and ideally, calves should be housed in small, similar aged groups. Calves should be kept in well ventilated buildings which are free from draughts and they should have plenty of clean, dry, bedding with soiled material removed from pens. “An ‘all in, all out’ system between batches of calves is preferable. Calf equipment should be cleaned using hot water, disinfected and allowed to dry between each use. “Isolating any calf which is scouring or shows other signs of ill health is imperative,” Ms Ingram adds.
Effective hygiene protocols for reducing scours
Alongside these measures, vaccinating cows any time from twelve weeks and up to three weeks before calving is a very effective way of protecting the cow’s calf from rotavirus, coronavirus and E.coli. “Research has shown the colostrum of vaccinated cows contains high concentrations of specific antibodies to combat infectious scour in their calves in the critical first few months of life. “Vaccination works via the transfer of passive immunity. Calves receive protection by consuming the vaccinated cow’s colostrum. To ensure maximum efficacy, farmers must pay attention to detail when managing and feeding colostrum, calves should receive 10-12per cent of its bodyweight in good quality, clean colostrum ideally within 2 hours and definitely within 6 hours of birth,” Ms Ingram points out. Optimum nutritional intake both up to and after weaning is paramount if calves are to achieve desired growth rates and herd production targets. Adequate levels of trace elements not only boost the animal’s immune system but are important for on all aspects of growth and development. Ms Ingram advises that trace elements should be part of a high quality feeding regime and this should always include four of the most important minerals: zinc, copper, manganese and selenium.
Vaccination and colostrum management
Up until the age of between four and five weeks, calves are monogastric and are only able to properly digest milk. The quality and quantity of the milk replacer fed to calves will have a significant impact on the development of the gastro-intestinal tract, Trouw Nutrition’s Dr Aaron Brown says. “The neonatal calf’s system is designed to efficiently digest and absorb nutrients in milk. Calves can consume large amounts which, through optimising nutrient intake, accelerates development of the entire digestive tract. “Feeding calves milk replacer as close to appetite as possible increases the calf’s ability to consume and digest solid feed in the later stages of life. It has also been shown to aid the development of the key organs in calves, including the liver, kidneys, heart and mammary tissue. “This initial eight week period is a limited window of opportunity for organ development and it is also the time when feed conversion is most efficient. Calves will typically put over half the energy from the feed they consume to growth during this time. “While feed costs fall after weaning, so does feed conversion efficiency so feeding to appetite during the first few weeks of a calf’s life is most cost effective when considering whole lifecycle impact,” Dr Brown says. There is a common misconception that feeding less milk replacer during the first few weeks of life will encourage intakes of starter ration but this is not the case, Dr Brown confirms as calves will not generally take it at this age. Promoting higher milk intakes pre-weaning boosts immunity, enabling calves to better fight off the infections which cause scours, the most common cause of mortality in calves under one month old. “Investing in a high intake, high quality nutritional programme in early life will improve calf health, increase daily lifetime yield through earlier entry in the milking herd, increased productivity in lactation and cow longevity.”
Importance of milk replacer in early development
Healthy calves are the future of any dairy herd, and so they deserve the best management
Remember, loss of appetite and not drinking milk is often a late sign of disease.
Promoting calf health
It is a legal requirement to feed calves under 28 days of age at least two liquid feeds a day
Check calves at least twice a day – are calves healthy?
Provide fresh, clean water at all times
Identify common problems early
Make preventative or corrective measures
Record and monitor early signs of disease – discharge from eyes or nose, cough, dirty hindquarters and scour
Treat if necessary in accordance with advice from your vet
Treat if necessary in accordance with advice from your vet.
Don’t leave it too late. Remember, loss of appetite and not drinking milk is often a late sign of disease.
Don’t leave it too late.
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Genomic data allows farmers to identify the heritable genetic traits they are looking for in their female replacements with a high degree of accuracy, according to Rob Horn, Neogen’s Technical Sales Specialist. “Historically, farmers would select their heifer replacements by assessing them visually but this has been shown to be only 1 percent accurate. Using data from parent averages is more precise but using genomic data will increase accuracy to around 70 percent. Taking tissue samples from calves for genomic analysis is quick and easy, Mr Horn advises. “Ear notch tissue samples can be taken easily, using a specialised applicator, from calves when they are just a couple of days old. These samples are sent to our laboratory by post where they are then sequenced. “Many perceive genomics as complex whereas in reality it does not have to be. The single nucleotide polymorphism sequence (SNP) sequence provides detailed genetic information. The individual’s results can then be evaluated by comparison with all other results on the UK database allowing the animal’s likely future performance to be accurately predicted.” Many farmers do not view the use of genomics as a necessity currently, but Mr Horn believes that as the push for reduced costs and improved performance continues, it will increasingly be seen as a ‘vital tool in improving efficiency’ irrespective of farm size.
“The range of traits included in the genomic results gives farm businesses the opportunity to select breeding females according to their own specific requirements. In 2023, 25 percent of females entering the UK dairy herd were genomically tested; this figure is predicted to be 35 percent by 2025 “We are already seeing a significant return on investment where farmers are using genomic bulls. Every point increase in £PLI for a bull results in £1.58 additional profit per cow1,” Mr Horn adds. Since genomic testing first became commercially available over ten years ago, the amount of data collected and evaluated and the range of traits available has increased significantly. This brings many advantages to the industry, Mr Horn says. “Genomic data collected across the UK is evaluated by AHDB and is now available for Jerseys, Ayrshires and Guernseys as well as Holsteins. Farmers can also choose to select for a range of traits which will be scored based on the animal’s SNP sequence. “Each farm is different and will wish to focus on specific traits for their herd replacements but popular ones are fertility, milk yield and increasingly, longevity.
Economic benefits
Rearing heifer replacements is one of the largest costs for a dairy farmer, accounting for around 20 percent of production costs. This means selecting the best animals to maximise the return on this investment is fundamental to herd performance.
Genomic data not only ranks an animal for a range of important traits but it also allows for the evaluation of heritability for each trait thus measuring how likely they are to be passed onto future generations.
1. Source: Promar study, 2021 2. BVD Free England
Genomic testing is offered by a range of providers but Neogen is an independent company which does not market cattle genetics so they are not promoting any particular individual or group of sires. This offers many advantages to the farmer, Mr Horn says: “Farmers who use our service own their data so they can share it with their vet or breeding consultant. We present the data as a dashboard which is easy to use and includes a customer index tool which allows the farmer to weight the traits which they are most interested in for their herd replacements. “The dashboard can present the results either as a table or as graphs, allowing for genetic progress across the herd to be tracked and which enables any issues to be pinpointed. The results of genomic testing not only inform breeding decisions but are also a management tool. “Herd genetic progress should show an upward trend from generation to generation and these figures should be reflected in actual performance. Where this is not the case, it may indicate possible herd management issues which could be worthy of further investigation.” Customers have access to technical support from experts at Neogen who can help farmers to fully understand the dashboard so they can use it to their best advantage when selecting which heifers will be replacements, or those which will be served to beef or when choosing suitable sires.
Optimising breeding decisions
Why test for BVD?
BVD is estimated to cost UK agriculture between £25m and £61m each year
BVD can cause low conception rates, embryo death, abortion and result in weak or premature calves
Persistently Infected (PI) calves can survive in the herd for several years undetected, and if allowed to breed, can produce another PI calf – these animals will be responsible for the majority of infections on a farm
Testing for BVD is easy, quick and inexpensive
Selecting replacements on the basis of visual assessment is typically 1 percent accurate
Assessing parental averages to making breeding decisions is up to 33 percent
Using the results from genomic testing increases accuracy to around 70 percent
Why use genomics?
References:
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Mr Horn points to Neogen’s combined genomics and BVD testing service which allows heifers testing positive for BVD to be identified within two weeks. “BVD testing at this young age provides the assurance that a heifer is free from a disease which will seriously compromise an animal’s immunity and lead to significant financial losses. Furthermore, samples from animals which test positive for BVD can be removed from the genomics testing process, saving cost.” The power of genomics to enable farmers to make decisions which will have significant positive impacts on herd performance in the short, medium and long term should not be underestimated, Mr Horn says. “It is a myth that making improvements based on genomic information takes many years. A calf can be tested at two days old, and the genomic data is available within six weeks. “This data will indicate how profitable the animal is likely to be within the herd, so at this point the decision can be made to, for example, serve the heifer to beef if she scores poorly, or if her genomic profile suggests she will perform well, she can be served with sexed semen. “It costs £1800 to rear a heifer to the point where she enters her first lactation irrespective of her lifetime profitability so informed breeding decisions can instantly improve the bottom line.”
“New traits are added to genomic testing results and with a greater industry focus on environmental sustainability, traits such as Feed Advantage are very relevant to producers “Feed Advantage helps dairy producers to identify bulls with the greatest tendency to transmit good feed conversion on to their daughters. It is expressed as a Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) in kilograms of dry matter intake saved during each lactation. “The most efficient cows consume as much as 400kg less in one lactation compared with the least efficient cows, meaning that for the same level of production there is substantial scope for cutting feed use. “Envirocow is another trait prioritised by many farmers as it focuses on the environmental credentials of an animal, incorporating cow lifespan, milk production, fertility and the Feed Advantage index. “Bulls scoring highly for this trait are more likely to transmit genes to their daughters so they produce the least GHG emissions in their lifetimes for each kilogram of solids-corrected milk they produce.”
Each farm is different and will wish to focus on specific traits for their herd replacements but popular ones are fertility, milk yield and increasingly, longevity
Rob Horn, Neogen Technical Sales Specialist
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Increasing the volume of milk replacer fed to calves prior to weaning is a proven strategy resulting in improvements to fertility, survivability and lactation performance. This has been demonstrated by Trouw Nutrition’s Lifestart trials which compare groups of calves fed different volumes of high quality milk replacer. These results should not come as a surprise, Dr Aaron Brown, Trouw Nutrition’s Technical Sales Manager says, as allowing calves to feed to appetite mimics their natural behaviour when feeding from their dams. “Young calves are driven to consume milk and allowing them to satisfy this behaviour from birth will support reaching the peak of the feed curve as quickly and efficiently as possible. “The aim should be to match the natural feed curve so the peak allowance is typically consumed from as young as a few days old. When calves are allowed to feed to appetite, signs of hunger stress such as vocalisation or unrewarded visits to the feeder are much reduced. “A survey commissioned by Trouw Nutrition showed 65 percent of dairy farmers are feeding their calves 6 litres or less of milk replacer per day. There is a misconception that if calves are fed less milk, starter feed consumption is optimised but research shows it is not as simple as this.
“Studies show calves fed ad-lib or high volumes of good quality milk replacer grew more rapidly and had greater acceleration of solid feed intake when weaning commenced, compared with groups with more restricted access.” In the first four weeks of their lives, calves are monogastric and therefore unable to properly digest solids. Elevated feeding strategies over this period can optimise development and integrity of the gastrointestinal tract which promotes greater intakes throughout the cow’s life, according to Dr Brown. Trouw Nutrition’s Lifestart trials compared calf groups made up from 86 Holstein heifers fed on two different rates of a high quality milk replacer. Dr Brown says: “The calves were split into two groups as calves and were fed twice daily with one group receiving four litres of milk per calf per day and the other group receiving eight litres of milk prior to weaning at eight weeks old. “Those calves fed at the higher rate reached their target weight for first service 16 days ahead of the calves fed at the lower volume. These calves also went to yield an extra 400 litres on average over their first lactation.” The study monitored the calves from birth and some of the group are now in their sixth lactation. Results for the cohorts showed that 17 percent more of the group fed the higher volume of milk replacer finished their second lactation and ongoing survival rates in subsequent lactations were also significantly higher.
Life-long benefits
Optimising nutrient intakes and quality in the first weeks of a calf’s life will deliver long term benefits.
“During the first four weeks of life, feed conversion rates for calves are high as calves will convert over half the weight of the feed they consume into growth. The first 50 days of a calf’s life are crucial for organ development, specifically the liver, lungs, heart and mammary tissue so if milk is restricted over this period, animals cannot make up for this shortfall in later life. “Furthermore, feeding higher volumes of milk over the first three to four weeks will not have any impact on the consumption of starter feed as it is minimal at this age. “Concerns that increased feeding rates in very young calves can lead to overspill of the milk into the rumen are unproven. “Calves are typically fed 4L of colostrum in one feed immediately after birth with a second colostrum feed of 2L shortly afterwards. Most calves will consume this amount so milk volume can usually be increased to 8L within the first week.”
Return on investment
Dr Brown says supporting young calves with increased energy intake at a young age can also help prevent the often crippling effects of infections causing scours such as Cryptosporidium. “Allowing higher intakes helps calves to recover more quickly from Cryptosporidium because the energy supplied and hydration both help the calf to mount an immune response. “This feeding regime will promote the development of the gastrointestinal tract, thus improving the ability of calves to digest solid feed as they approach weaning age.” Choosing a milk replacer which can be fed at higher volumes is important, with composition closely resembling cow’s milk with a higher percentage of dairy protein. Raw whole milk is typically composed of 32 percent fat, 26 percent protein and 36 percent lactose on a dry matter (DM) basis.
Energy
Top tips for feeding milk replacer
Feed milk replacer at the concentration and volume required to achieve targeted growth rates – typically at least 10L per day fed as a minimum of two feeds
Calves have a higher energy requirement in cold environmental temperatures, requiring an average of 0.5 to 0.6l megajoules of energy for every 5
Maintain a high standard of cleanliness throughout the preparation and feeding process
Ad-lib clean water from birth is essential for good rumen development and feed intake
Drinking from a teat, rather than a bucket or trough, helps the calf satisfy its urge to suckle
High growth rates in the first few weeks of life have been shown to demonstrate long-term benefits to fertility, health and lactation performance
Dr Aaron Brown, Technical Sales Manager, Trouw Nutrition
Dr Brown says supporting young calves with increased energy intake at a young age can also help prevent the often crippling effects of infections causing scours such as Cryptosporidium. “Allowing higher intakes helps calves to recover more quickly from Cryptosporidium because the energy supplied and hydration both help the calf to mount an immune response. “This feeding regime will promote the development of the gastrointestinal tract, thus improving the ability of calves to digest solid feed as they approach weaning age.” Choosing a milk replacer which can be fed at higher volumes is important, with composition closely resembling cow’s milk with a higher percentage of dairy protein. Raw whole milk is typically composed of 32 percent fat, 26 percent protein and 36 percent lactose on a dry matter (DM) basis. Milk replacers which are high in digestible dairy protein and the correct fatty acid balance will reduce the likelihood of scours and abomasal bloat, Dr Brown explains: “Calves fed a milk replacer with a higher proportion of dairy protein and a fatty acid content with a composition which is as close as possible to the equivalent in cow’s milk will achieve higher growth rates and improved organ development. “Milk replacers containing more short and medium chain fatty acids are more easily digestible by the calf. They can therefore be fed at the higher rates recommended in the Lifestart trials with minimal risk of gastral upsets. “Trouw Nutrition milk replacers have optimal vegetable oil content to provide better quality fats with a similar macronutrient content to cow’s milk.” Dr Brown advises feeding milk replacers as close to appetite as possible in the first four to six weeks. He advocates careful observation of milk intakes of individual calves to guide feeding rates as some calves will increase their consumption more quickly over time than others. “Higher intakes can be achieved with two feeds of 5L to 6L each per day but feeding more frequently is always desirable. The use of automatic feeders can enable ad lib provision of milk replacer, promoting higher intakes. “Feeding 8L or more per day or more of a high quality milk replacer to pre-weaning calves unlocks their genetic potential. Proven benefits include a reduced age at first calving, increased lifetime productivity and improved profitability, resulting in a reduction in the cow’s carbon footprint.”
Milk replacers which are high in digestible dairy protein and the correct fatty acid balance will reduce the likelihood of scours and abomasal bloat, Dr Brown explains: “Calves fed a milk replacer with a higher proportion of dairy protein and a fatty acid content with a composition which is as close as possible to the equivalent in cow’s milk will achieve higher growth rates and improved organ development. “Milk replacers containing more short and medium chain fatty acids are more easily digestible by the calf. They can therefore be fed at the higher rates recommended in the Lifestart trials with minimal risk of gastral upsets. “Trouw Nutrition milk replacers have optimal vegetable oil content to provide better quality fats with a similar macronutrient content to cow’s milk.” Dr Brown advises feeding milk replacers as close to appetite as possible in the first four to six weeks. He advocates careful observation of milk intakes of individual calves to guide feeding rates as some calves will increase their consumption more quickly over time than others. “Higher intakes can be achieved with two feeds of 5L to 6L each per day but feeding more frequently is always desirable. The use of automatic feeders can enable ad lib provision of milk replacer, promoting higher intakes. “Feeding 8L or more per day or more of a high quality milk replacer to pre-weaning calves unlocks their genetic potential. Proven benefits include a reduced age at first calving, increased lifetime productivity and improved profitability, resulting in a reduction in the cow’s carbon footprint.”
Further reading
Click on the links below to download the PDFs:
Practical guide to feeding calves
Common misconceptions of calf nutrition
Dr Brown believes some farmers opt for lower feeding rates because of concerns about cost. He says these concerns are misplaced as much of this additional investment will be recouped in the short term due to reductions in the number of days to first calving and lower incidence of disease. “Using an average cost of milk replacer of 37p/litre, feeding an extra 2L of milk from birth to weaning will cost £32. However, the daily cost of feeding a heifer while she is not in milk is £2.30/day and so if age at first calving is reduced by eight days, this offers a feed cost saving alone of £20. “Add in the earlier and higher milk yield and savings from reduced disease incidence the return on investment really starts to stack up.” “High growth rates in the first few weeks of life have been shown to demonstrate long-term benefits in relation to fertility, health, survivability and lactation performance.
Dr Brown believes some farmers opt for lower feeding rates because of concerns about cost. He says these concerns are misplaced as much of this additional investment will be recouped in the short term due to reductions in the number of days to first calving and lower incidence of disease. “Using an average cost of milk replacer of 37p/litre, feeding an extra 2L of milk from birth to weaning will cost £32. However, the daily cost of feeding a heifer while she is not in milk is £2.30/day and so if age at first calving is reduced by eight days, this offers a feed cost saving alone of £20. “Add in the earlier and higher milk yield and savings from reduced disease incidence the return on investment really starts to stack up.” “High growth rates in the first few weeks of life have been shown to demonstrate long-term benefits in relation to fertility, health, survivability and lactation performance. “During the first four weeks of life, feed conversion rates for calves are high as calves will convert over half the weight of the feed they consume into growth. The first 50 days of a calf’s life are crucial for organ development, specifically the liver, lungs, heart and mammary tissue so if milk is restricted over this period, animals cannot make up for this shortfall in later life. “Furthermore, feeding higher volumes of milk over the first three to four weeks will not have any impact on the consumption of starter feed as it is minimal at this age. “Concerns that increased feeding rates in very young calves can lead to overspill of the milk into the rumen are unproven. “Calves are typically fed 4L of colostrum in one feed immediately after birth with a second colostrum feed of 2L shortly afterwards. Most calves will consume this amount so milk volume can usually be increased to 8L within the first week.”
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Coupled with stringent hygiene protocols, good colostrum management and well- ventilated housing; these measures can help to ensure calves have the best chance of a healthy start in life. Kate Ingram, Virbac’s vet and ruminant adviser points out that it is easier and more cost effective to put strategies in place to prevent disease than to manage and treat outbreaks. “Investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease. “Maintaining a high standard of hygiene in the calf’s environment should always be the starting point. Housing calves in small, even aged groups with sufficient space between calves of different ages to avoid nose-to-nose contact is important. “Calves should always have plenty of clean, dry bedding and soiled material should be removed from pens rather than covered with clean straw. Operating an ‘all in, all out’ system is recommended.” Scour is one of the biggest threats to calf wellbeing, accounting for over half of deaths in calves under four weeks old, Ms Ingram says. Vaccination is a proven, practical method of controlling scour, forming part of a wider preventative strategy.
“Control of calf scour saves not only veterinary and medicine costs, but the labour and time associated with treating and nursing sick calves. Rotavirus, coronavirus, E-coli and Cryptosporidium are the most common pathogens causing scour and vaccination is an extremely effective measure against all but Cryptosporidium. “Research has shown that the levels of the immunoglobulins to the pathogens present in the vaccine will increase in the dam’s colostrum, protecting their newborn calf against the infections which cause scour. “Irrespective of previous vaccination history, a single injection of the vaccine given to the dam from twelve to three weeks prior to calving boosts cow serum and therefore colostrum antibody levels against rotavirus, coronavirus and E.coli. “Calves which received colostrum from vaccinated dams had both reduced severity and duration of scour infection, as well as more limited shedding of the pathogens into the environment, thus reducing the risk of infection to other calves in the cohort. “It is important to recognise that vaccination will only be effective where it is combined with good colostrum management, as cow vaccination works via the transfer of passive immunity from the dam’s colostrum,” Ms Ingram adds.
Effective vaccination strategies
Boosting a calf’s immunity through vaccination and maintaining optimum trace mineral levels will help to guard against scour and will support growth rates.
Control of calf scour saves not only veterinary and medicine costs, but the labour and time associated with treating and nursing sick calves
Kate Ingram, vet and ruminant adviser at Virbac
Not all scour cases are contagious and can be linked to management factors such as incorrect mixing of milk replacers and sub-optimum milk temperature. Ms Ingram highlights the multi-factorial nature of this disease that therefore requires a several-pronged approach to prevention. “Nutritional deficiencies can make calves more vulnerable to disease, including scour, which will in turn reduce growth rates. The risk of this occurring is particularly high at times of stress for the calf such as when it is separated from its dam, or when it is mixing with a new social group, during transportation to a new site or weaning. “Clinical deficiencies of trace minerals are rarely seen now, but sub-clinical deficiencies may be present, and this can affect growth and the immune response. “Multimin is a prescription only, combined trace mineral injection for cattle, containing zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Trace minerals can be given in either feeds and licks, or boluses but problems are often associated with each of these methods, such as regurgitation and the physical challenges of bolusing. It is also difficult to ensure that all calves obtain the required amounts, Ms Ingram explains. “Giving calves these vital trace minerals in injectable form allows for rapid absorption, particularly at times of increased demand for the calf. Giving the minerals via injection rather than orally also bypasses potential mineral lock up issues in the rumen. “Our research has shown an 8 per cent reduction in the incidence of scour in treated calves and has also demonstrated a lowering of the risk of calves contracting pneumonia. “With Multimin, farmers can boost the performance of their animals by improving resilience to disease, their ability to conceive as well as reducing the use of medicines, delivering marginal gains across the herd.”
Eliminating management factors
Top tips for preventing scour in calves
Hover on the images to reveal the tips
Operate an ‘all out, all in’ system for batches of calves
Maintain a clean, hygienic environment for calves by removing soiled material daily if possible and providing plenty of clean, dry bedding
House calves in small, even aged groups and avoid nose contact between calves of different ages
Implement best practice colostrum management protocols to ensure calves receive sufficient colostrum. Aim to feed colostrum equivalent to 10 to 12 percent of body weight in the first two hours – after six hours the ability of the calf’s gut to absorb antibodies declines dramatically
Vaccinate dams from twelve to three weeks prior to calving with Bovigen Scour to protect against scour infections caused by rotavirus, coronavirus and E.coli
Maintain optimum trace mineral levels in calves to boost immunity by giving them Multimin, a combined trace mineral injection containing zinc, copper, manganese and selenium
A newborn calf needs between 10 and 12 percent of its bodyweight in colostrum quickly, ideally within the first two hours of life but no later than six hours, Ms Ingram says. “This time limit is crucial as the concentration of antibodies in the colostrum decreases from the dam post-calving, and at six hours the calf's gut begins to stop absorbing antibodies. After 24 hours, this ability, known as passive transfer, ends completely. “Colostrum must be of the right quality - a reading of 22 percent or above on a Brix refractometer is indicative of good quality with adequate protein and antigen levels.” A survey of 324 farmers by Dairy Farmer magazine showed that over half did not carry out tests to ascertain the cause of scour in calves on their farms. Rotavirus and coronavirus are often responsible for viral cases of scour, whereas E.coli is the most commonly occurring cause of bacterial scour infections. “Rotavirus and coronavirus scour infections typically affect calves of between two and four weeks old and symptoms include watery faeces which are often green or yellow in colour, with mucus frequently present in rotavirus cases. Calves will lie down more than usual and may be reluctant to drink. “E. coli is often seen in calves from birth to seven days old and they will present a distinctive bloated abdomen. “Cryptosporidium is one of the most common causes of scour but as it is a protozoa, it is not covered by vaccination. The risk of Cryptosporidium is highest in calves when they are between seven and 28 days old and rarely occurs after they are six months old. “Cryptosporidium infections can be treated with Virbac Kriptazen, a non-antibiotic medicine which can be given to calves as young as a day old. As it is a bactericide, it is very specific and effective. “Cryptosporidium is very difficult to eradicate and implementing strict hygiene protocols is the best way of reducing occurrence, especially as it is also a zoonotic risk,” Ms Ingram points out.
‘TeixeiraAGV et al. (2014) Effect of an injectable trace mineral supplement containing selenium, copper, zinc and manganese on immunity, health and growth of dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 97:4216-4226 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-7625’ Bovigen® Scour vaccine contains bovine rotavirus, bovine coronavirus and E.coli POM-VPS Kriptazen® contains 0.5mg/ml halofuginone POM-V MultiminTM contains zinc 60mg; Manganese 10mg; Copper 15mg; Selenium 5mg per ml POM-V
Ensure safe access to the site is provided. Consider highway improvements. Check minimum parking requirements
Highways and parking
If rights of way cross the application site, these may need to be incorporated into the scheme. Consider the views from access routes as part of the visual impact assessment
Public access
Assess visual impact, especially within designated landscapes
Understand how the development might affect landscape
For listed buildings, listed building consent will be required
Consider heritage
A 10 per cent uplift in biodiversity net gain must be demonstrated. Protected species surveys may be necessary
Factor in ecology
What do they permit? Do proposals need to be amended to be compliant?
Assess local planning policies
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Optimising chances of planning application success
