calf hutches

whelan1

i am thinking of getting some does anybody use them or know where i would get them or how much they cost please

irish_bob

whelan1 wrote: »

i am thinking of getting some does anybody use them or know where i would get them or how much they cost please

JFC sell them , i wouldnt be a fan of them myself , they are very labour intensive and take up a lot of room , you might build a calf shed for not much more than a large number of them at the moment

whelan1

problem is i have coccidiosis and cyrpto in my calf shed so thought a mobile unit like a hutch might serve me better

CJhaughey

I have the single green one, 250 is what it cost.
I used it for pigs, great job, weatherproof, never need paint or nails and lasts for ever.

vanderbadger

whelan1 wrote: »

problem is i have coccidiosis and cyrpto in my calf shed so thought a mobile unit like a hutch might serve me better

that coccidiosis is a scurge, once in herd very hard to get rid of, vet tells me its becoming very common, I have had calves that have been outside since calving and still pick it up!

whelan1

yes its the worst of buying in dairy stock that you dont know what diseases you are buying in too

Sam Kade

whelan1 wrote: »

problem is i have coccidiosis and cyrpto in my calf shed so thought a mobile unit like a hutch might serve me better

I had a problem with crypto and Ecoli scour in my calves about 8 years ago even after vaccinating the cows against Ecoli scour. Every year after that I used yoghurt milk and never had a problem with calf scour up to 2005 when I gave up dairying. The calves never got any disease while being fed yoghurt and they kept thriving well after weaning. There was 1 year where I had 2 calves scouring bad on yoghurt, I cured them by giving them 3 feeds of lectade/day while continuing to feed them yoghurt in 2 feeds/day. They cleared up after 3 days and never looked back. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t find out about yoghurt milk years ago, as it is a hassle free way to rear calves.

whelan1

where do you get the yoghurt milk?

snowman707

whelan1 wrote: »

where do you get the yoghurt milk?

from a yoghurt cow.







sorry couldn't resist that one


basically cool a couple gallons & add a large carton of NATURAL Yoghurt

forget how long you leave it

when you take some milk for the calves add more cooled milk & leave till you need it for next feed


try using cubicle lime in your calf house & more importantly in your calving pens throw it on the bedding & up the walls for about 1 metre.

give the calves 1 "at birth " tube as soon as possible after being born

we found the above helped a lot .

use natural products as much as possible

Sam Kade

whelan1 wrote: »

where do you get the yoghurt milk?

You use cows milk and turn it into yoghurt using plain yoghurt.http://www.teagasc.ie/newsletters/farmingtips/2008/dairy-20080122a.asp
I used to add 2 bottles plain actimel to 1/2 gallon of warm milk and keep it in the hot press for 24 hours then I put it into a barrel and add warm milk and leave it between milkings before feeding to the calves. You can't use milk treated with antibiotics as it will kill the yoghurt and the milk will go sour. I fed it to calves in teat feeders and only had to wash them once a month. Yoghurt is actually sour milk with good bacteria so the calf still has bacteria in its stomach but it isn't the kind that can cause scours. It can also be made by adding fresh milk to stored colostrum.

whelan1

thanks lads- we are using this oocide disenfectant that is a total curse to put out as you have to go around twice with the knapsack and when number 1 reacts with number 2 it would knock you out:eek:

kfk

Has anyone here used milk acidifier? I had problems with scour some time back (i mean my calves, not me). Used acidifier and never had a problem with scour again. Calves seem to put on weight quicker also. I think they can drink much more milk with acidifier without causing problems.

whelan1

by acidified milk do you mean milk replacer? with the yoghurt milk what age do you start them on it?

Sam Kade

You can start feeding yoghurt milk when the beastings runs out. Acidified milk is adding formic acid to milk so it will last up to 3 days its also supposed to reduce scour in calves. I tried it and it didn't work for me.

whelan1

thanks the cows are getting rotavec corona at drying off so the calf has to get this for a week after birth .. thinking of trying the yoghurt milk how long do you leave them on it?

Sam Kade

You would be better off leaving them on it untill they are weaned 5-8 weeks. Don't forget to leave a few gallons in the barrel after each feed to start the next batch for the next feed.

lakill Farm

Can you go over the process of Yogurt Milk again please?

Anyone else use this method in the last 2 years?

Does it work with milk replacer?

bbam

We would always use natural youghert if a calf has any upset.. Don't routenly feed it just add it to its feed for a few feeds in a row... Buy them in tesco for 55c each..