Keeping, feeding and caring for calves
Calf Care
Feeding, caring and raising calves at home is a complex, time-consuming process that requires attention to many details. You will need special equipment, for example, milk taxi for pasteurizing calf feeding . Strict adherence to the rules of care is necessary, since at an early age the animal's body and qualities are formed, which will further affect its productivity.
How to keep a calf
There are several effective methods of keeping calves, but small households are better suited for individual use. During the milk period, babies are placed in separate houses. When the calf is born, it should be taken from the mother as soon as possible and placed in an open-air box. Individual calf houses become their haven a few hours after birth and up to about 3 months of life. Individual calf houses are used for all types of private or collective farms.
The houses have relatively simple designs. Their height usually does not exceed one and a half meters, and the average area is 2 square meters. A small fence is created in front of the house, which increases the area of the closed enclosure by another 2 square meters.
The main materials for making calf houses are wood and polymers. Timber structures are durable and economical, but not practical in harsh, humid climates. The tree deforms under the influence of the sun and rain, and is susceptible to insect attacks. It is impossible to process them with chemical compounds. Modern polymers are stronger than wood, lighter and more durable than wood. In addition, they retain heat well. Thanks to individual houses, the risk of infection of the animal is reduced, and the process of care and treatment is simplified.
How to feed calves during the milk period
Colostrum is the only food a calf needs in the first month of its life. All the necessary substances in it are perfectly balanced. The constant intake of this substance in the body will provide the calf's body with a good start for development and excellent performance in the future. The first drink of a newly born calf should be done within an hour after calving. This will increase disease resistance by 20 percent. The young animals will have to be fed with dairy products up to 6 times a day, and the volume of colostrum should be calculated based on the weight of the calf. A single serving should not exceed a tenth of its live weight.