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10
A. CARE OF NEW BORN CALF
Important points to remember:
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y
Clean nostrils and mouth which helps the calf breathe
better and help prevent future breathing problems.
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y
Allow the mother to lick the calf clean which promotes
circulation within the calf’s body and prepares the calf to
stand up and walk.
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y
Tie the navel cord with a thread at a distance of around
2 inches from the base and cut the remaining cord with a
clean instrument.
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y
Dip the navel (a simple smearing will not serve the
purpose) in 7% or higher tincture of iodine solution and
repeat after 12 hours. (Do not use teat dip or weaker
iodine solutions). A poorly maintained navel is the
gateway to serious infections.
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y
A new born calf should be given 2 litres of colostrum
within the first 2 hours of birth and 1-2 litres (based on
size) within 12 hours of birth.
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y
Many calves do not nurse adequate amounts of
colostrum from their dams within the first few hours of
life, and thus they may not receive adequate immunity.
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y
Feeding colostrum after 24 hours of birth may not help
the calf to ward off infections.
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y
A calf must receive adequate colostrum to protect it from
diseases for the first three months of its life. Colostrum is
the calf’s “passport to life”.
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y
Hand-feeding new-born calves is therefore recommended
so that the farmer is sure about the amount of colostrum
an individual calf receives.
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y
De-worming should be done within 10-14 days of age
subsequently on a monthly basis up to the 6
th
month.
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y
When the animal is 3 months old, contact the veterinarian
for vaccination.
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y
Provide calf starter from 2-8 weeks for better growth and
early maturity.
Licking stimulates the calf to stand up
Dipping the navel in 7% Tr.iodine is very
important in preventing navel infections
A new born calf should receive colostrum
as early as possible
Hand-feeding to ensure adequate
colostrum intake by calves
Timely care of new-born calf will ensure its survival
The golden hour: The first hour after calving is the most critical period in the entire life of
a new born calf.
Example of a simple calf starter (approx. percentages)
Maize- 52 %; Oats - 20 %; Soya bean meal - 20 %; Molasses - 5 %;
Salt - 0.5 %; Minerals (Macro & Micro) - 1.5%; Vitamins - 1%