Getting Calves Off to a Good Start
with Acidified Group Feeding
One of my clients is feeding acidified milk. This is group housing. They want to get their youngest calves to eat well in the group housing.
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| Nursery Pen - Acidified milk feeding |
As we can see in the picture of the special nursery pen at the right there are three milk feeding nipples. Calves come to the pen from the calving area after they have received their colostrum feedings.
About four to five times a day a calf care person comes to the pen to assist calves in finding the nipples. They stay in this pen only until they have learned to nurse. Turnover is fairly rapid.
Today there were four calves in the pen. The bedding is changed daily. The nursing station is cleaned and disinfected daily as well.
The destination pens, an example is shown at left, are filled from the nursery pen. In this group setting there is significant competition for nursing space. These calf care folks want the calves coming into the pen to be assertive and confident about finding the nipples and nursing.
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