Page 7 - CalfCare - Calving and Care of the Newborn Calf
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Remove the dairy calf from the cow
Once the calf is born, it is at immediate risk of picking up infections via the navel, mouth and nostrils from
the calving environment, the cow and any other animals in the same airspace.
Hence, the dairy calf should be removed from the cow immediately after birth (the cow can be allowed to
lick the calf) and placed in a clean, freshly-bedded area where it is fed colostrum. (See AHI leaflet -
‘Colostrum Management' for further details).
Safety at calving
A quarter of Irish farm accidents and one fifth of farm deaths in older farmers are livestock-related. Attacks
by recently calved cows are a common cause of such accidents. In addition, zoonotic infections can be
contracted by farmers and their vets around calving.
• When handling cows at calving (particularly if they are calving prematurely or if the calf is dead a while)
always wear arm length gloves and washable protective clothing and boots.
• When handling the newborn calf never turn your back on the cow and always keep a locked gate
between you and the cow when removing the calf.
Preventing NAVEL ILL
Check regularly for navel ill –
handle the navel of all calves with
Use
correct navel clean or gloved hands at birth
care routine and in the first week of life to
check for excessive bleeding,
pain, abnormal swelling, odour or
pus and treat as recommended
by your local vet.
If you have problems with navel ill in your calves it
is important to see the ‘big picture’ and not to focus
only on cord care as the answer to the problem. The Treat navel immediately after calf
cause of navel ill is infection spreading from the is born
environment into the calf via the navel cord.
To prevent navel ill you need to address all risk
factors that lead to high contamination of the
environment and low immunity of the calf:
• improve calf immunity: ensure the newborn calf
gets an adequate volume of good quality
colostrum as soon as possible after calving
(seeAHI leaflet- 'Colostrum Management')
• ensure calves are born in a clean, freshly bedded
calving unit
Check to ensure total coverage of the navel cord
Remove the dairy calf from the cow
Once the calf is born, it is at immediate risk of picking up infections via the navel, mouth and nostrils from
the calving environment, the cow and any other animals in the same airspace.
Hence, the dairy calf should be removed from the cow immediately after birth (the cow can be allowed to
lick the calf) and placed in a clean, freshly-bedded area where it is fed colostrum. (See AHI leaflet -
‘Colostrum Management' for further details).
Safety at calving
A quarter of Irish farm accidents and one fifth of farm deaths in older farmers are livestock-related. Attacks
by recently calved cows are a common cause of such accidents. In addition, zoonotic infections can be
contracted by farmers and their vets around calving.
• When handling cows at calving (particularly if they are calving prematurely or if the calf is dead a while)
always wear arm length gloves and washable protective clothing and boots.
• When handling the newborn calf never turn your back on the cow and always keep a locked gate
between you and the cow when removing the calf.
Preventing NAVEL ILL
Check regularly for navel ill –
handle the navel of all calves with
Use
correct navel clean or gloved hands at birth
care routine and in the first week of life to
check for excessive bleeding,
pain, abnormal swelling, odour or
pus and treat as recommended
by your local vet.
If you have problems with navel ill in your calves it
is important to see the ‘big picture’ and not to focus
only on cord care as the answer to the problem. The Treat navel immediately after calf
cause of navel ill is infection spreading from the is born
environment into the calf via the navel cord.
To prevent navel ill you need to address all risk
factors that lead to high contamination of the
environment and low immunity of the calf:
• improve calf immunity: ensure the newborn calf
gets an adequate volume of good quality
colostrum as soon as possible after calving
(seeAHI leaflet- 'Colostrum Management')
• ensure calves are born in a clean, freshly bedded
calving unit
Check to ensure total coverage of the navel cord
