Page 6 - CalfCare - Calving and Care of the Newborn Calf
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HOW CAN YOU BEST MANAGE YOUR NEWBORN CALVES?
The ‘GOLDEN HOUR’ after calving.
The first hour after calving is the most critical period in the entire life of the calf.
This is when:
1. resuscitation may be needed
2. the dairy calf needs to be removed from the cow
3. you can prevent navel ill.
Colostrum needs to be fed within TWO HOURS after calving. (See AHI leaflet - 'Colostrum
Management' for further details).
Delaying any of these jobs will result in increased risk of calf disease and death.
Calf resuscitation
Most calves don’t need resuscitation. However, high-risk calves from problem calvings will benefit from
resuscitative care during and immediately after calving. To identify calves requiring resuscitation you need to
be present at the calving and looking out for the predictive signs of calf distress.
High risk calves requiring resuscitation can be identified:
Before birth During birth After birth
by the predicted likelihood of a by large limbs, swollen tongue by no breathing or
problem calving (premature, or head, bluish gums and gasping/bellowing, lying flat out
wrongly presented calf, twins, muzzle, yellow/brown/red unable to lift the head and slow
slow calving, tight calving, hard stained birth fluids and poor to sit up, stand and to suck
calving) reflex response to pinching
between the hooves
Where you identify a high-risk calf before calving, you can begin resuscitation during calving once the calf’s chest
has emerged, for example, during a hiplock calving.
First aid can be given to a high-risk calf without any equipment:
• once the high-risk calf is born, suspend it upside-down for a short period of time (never longer than one
minute)
• then pour cold water over its head and/or stick a straw or finger into its nostrils
• then place it sitting upright on its chest
• very weak, cold, wet, shivering calves should be dried off and placed under an infra red lamp
• ask your local vet regarding other options such as stimulant products or other aids.
HOW CAN YOU BEST MANAGE YOUR NEWBORN CALVES?
The ‘GOLDEN HOUR’ after calving.
The first hour after calving is the most critical period in the entire life of the calf.
This is when:
1. resuscitation may be needed
2. the dairy calf needs to be removed from the cow
3. you can prevent navel ill.
Colostrum needs to be fed within TWO HOURS after calving. (See AHI leaflet - 'Colostrum
Management' for further details).
Delaying any of these jobs will result in increased risk of calf disease and death.
Calf resuscitation
Most calves don’t need resuscitation. However, high-risk calves from problem calvings will benefit from
resuscitative care during and immediately after calving. To identify calves requiring resuscitation you need to
be present at the calving and looking out for the predictive signs of calf distress.
High risk calves requiring resuscitation can be identified:
Before birth During birth After birth
by the predicted likelihood of a by large limbs, swollen tongue by no breathing or
problem calving (premature, or head, bluish gums and gasping/bellowing, lying flat out
wrongly presented calf, twins, muzzle, yellow/brown/red unable to lift the head and slow
slow calving, tight calving, hard stained birth fluids and poor to sit up, stand and to suck
calving) reflex response to pinching
between the hooves
Where you identify a high-risk calf before calving, you can begin resuscitation during calving once the calf’s chest
has emerged, for example, during a hiplock calving.
First aid can be given to a high-risk calf without any equipment:
• once the high-risk calf is born, suspend it upside-down for a short period of time (never longer than one
minute)
• then pour cold water over its head and/or stick a straw or finger into its nostrils
• then place it sitting upright on its chest
• very weak, cold, wet, shivering calves should be dried off and placed under an infra red lamp
• ask your local vet regarding other options such as stimulant products or other aids.
