Cattle are ruminants, they have four stomachs. But, at the time of their birth, they have only one stomach- the abomasums or the fourth stomach. It is the only stomach which is active and which functions within them when they take birth. The dairy farmers make all efforts to keep the calves in a healthy condition starting from the time they take birth.
There is a great requirement for the dairy farmers to know how to handle the calves soon after their birth. For the first couple of days, the cows should be refrained from eating the placenta and it should be allowed to lick the calf dry. The calves should be assisted to suckle the cow and the teat should be guided into their mouth. It has to be remembered that the first meal is very important for a healthy calf and it should be taken within five hours of their birth.
There is a great requirement for the dairy farmers to know how to handle the calves soon after their birth. For the first couple of days, the cows should be refrained from eating the placenta and it should be allowed to lick the calf dry. The calves should be assisted to suckle the cow and the teat should be guided into their mouth. It has to be remembered that the first meal is very important for a healthy calf and it should be taken within five hours of their birth.
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The milk which the cow produces soon after giving birth to a calf is the colostrum, the milk which is not fit for the humans to consume and thus the calves should be allowed to have it as per their will as it does not harms them. Within the first 24 hours, the calves should get at least three to four times to feed themselves with the milk
The dairy calves are separated from the cow after the first few days. The reason is that the dairy farmers do not want the calves to consume all the milk the cows produce, as they would want to sell it to their customers. During such time the calves are made acquainted with the calf feeding bucket and are fed through that. This product serves to be as a much-needed product for the dairy farmers in order to maintain a good and ideal health condition for them. The separation of the cows with the calves is known as weaning which is a very crucial and important process for the dairy farms.
The bucket feeding procedure ensures that the calves are sufficiently fed with milk until and unless their body is developed to help them eat the dry foods like hay. It is during this phase that the calves develop the other three stomachs within them.
Providing nutritious milk to the calves which can provide them with at least 18 to 20% crude protein should be preferred. When a bucket is used for feeding the calves, it has to be taken care of that it is placed at least 30 cm from above the ground, it helps the oesophageal groove in a calf to close.
There are some dairy farmers who, for training the calves to drink from the bucket, place it in a corner, stand astride its neck and place their two fingers which are moistened with milk into the mouth of the calves. Getting the taste of the milk, the calves gradually gets attracted towards the bucket and start considering it as the source of milk which can feed them.
The dairy calves are separated from the cow after the first few days. The reason is that the dairy farmers do not want the calves to consume all the milk the cows produce, as they would want to sell it to their customers. During such time the calves are made acquainted with the calf feeding bucket and are fed through that. This product serves to be as a much-needed product for the dairy farmers in order to maintain a good and ideal health condition for them. The separation of the cows with the calves is known as weaning which is a very crucial and important process for the dairy farms.
The bucket feeding procedure ensures that the calves are sufficiently fed with milk until and unless their body is developed to help them eat the dry foods like hay. It is during this phase that the calves develop the other three stomachs within them.
Providing nutritious milk to the calves which can provide them with at least 18 to 20% crude protein should be preferred. When a bucket is used for feeding the calves, it has to be taken care of that it is placed at least 30 cm from above the ground, it helps the oesophageal groove in a calf to close.
There are some dairy farmers who, for training the calves to drink from the bucket, place it in a corner, stand astride its neck and place their two fingers which are moistened with milk into the mouth of the calves. Getting the taste of the milk, the calves gradually gets attracted towards the bucket and start considering it as the source of milk which can feed them.
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