Knowledge base
We work closely alongside farmers, veterinarians and scientists to constantly expand our knowledge, which we are then happy to share with you.
We work closely alongside farmers, veterinarians and scientists to constantly expand our knowledge, which we are then happy to share with you.
The extent with which hygiene rules are followed varies from farmer to farmer. However, the key is to make certain actions a habit, which you then consistently stick to.
It is important that the calf pen remains clean and dry. It appears very obvious but if calves become damp, even if it only affects their legs and lower belly, they quickly feel cold and run a greater risk of airway problems and diarrhea.
A hygienic work approach prevents problems and eventually saves time. Time the livestock farmer spends cleaning and disinfecting pens and equipment is repaid with problem-free rearing. All-round the best outcome!
Transporting young calves and placing them in a new environment with calves from other farms represents a huge health challenge. Veterinarian Niels Geurts of the Thewi veterinary practice in The Netherlands sees the consequences of the process on a daily basis and points out the areas for improvement in calf rearing on dairy farms.
Find out more on feeding schedules and the importance of feeding your calves with concentrate and roughage.
Just like ourselves, calves are constantly surrounded by microorganisms. However, only a few of those microorganisms are truly pathogens and therefore capable of causing disease. I firmly believe that good hygiene makes all the difference at the farm. But how does it work?
In this article we will focus on the importance of hygiene in calf rearing. Nina Hennes, our R&D colleague will share her expertise on this topic. "It starts at the immediate birth of the calf. As you know, calves are born without an innate immune system, which means that calves are very vulnerable".