The golden hour: The first hour after calving is the most critical period in the entire life of new born calf.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER
Clean nostrils and mouth which helps the calf breathe better and help prevent future breathing problems. 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.
Tie the naval cord with a thread at a distance of around 2 inches from the base and cut the remaining cord with a clean instrument.
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.
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.
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.
Feeding colostrum after 24 hours of birth may not help the calf to ward off infections.
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”.
Hand-feeding new-born calves is therefore recommended so that the farmer is sure about the amount of colostrum an individual calf receives.
De-worming should be done within 10-14 days of age subsequently on a monthly basis up to the 6th month.
When the animal is 3 months old, contact the veterinarian for vaccination.
Provide calf starter from 2-8 weeks for better growth and early maturity.
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%
Timely care of new-born calf will ensure its survival
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