What is the secret to a smooth calving period?

Anything that can be done to make an intensive block-calving period run as smoothly as possible will be advantageous for a busy farm team.

It stems from preparing staff, processes and cows ahead of time.

Whether calving in spring, autumn or both, the essential ingredients for an effortless calving period are body condition, mineral status and calving ease.

See also: Advice for managing a split block-calving herd

Get those right and the rewards will be a reduced need for staff intervention at calving, lower disease, less stress and better cow fertility and production.

Here, three block-calvers share their top tips.

Spring calver

Henry Jones, Hilley Farm, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Henry and Annie Jones © Richard Stanton

A successful calving period comes down to the “three Ps”, says Shropshire spring block-calver Henry Jones. “Preparation, preparation, preparation.” 

He views selecting sires in the top 3% for calving ease as the “number-one” way to secure a smooth calving period and good, long-term fertility.

“When you start putting your arm in lots of cows, you’ve got potential metritis problems, which stacks against you at the next mating,” he explains.

By keeping assistance to less than 5% of cows, they are more likely to be clean, which helps fertility and keeps the block tight.

© Richard Stanton

Managing grazing well in autumn is also essential to ensure freshly calved cows have plenty of good grass in front of them in spring.

“Don’t go too low in the autumn, start preparing in those back-end months for the spring,” he says, adding that this was a lesson from this season.

This year, cows will be buffer-fed more in autumn to protect spring covers. “That would allow average farm cover not to get too low – not dropping below 2,100kg of dry matter/ha,” he adds.

Getting prepared “on the ground” with everything needed for calving is also a must for a stress-free calving.

That includes basics such as getting calf pens set up in advance, ordering plenty of straw, and ensuring equipment is in place and clean, says Henry. Having protocols for tasks – for example, managing sick calves – is also helpful.

“If you’re not prepared, it can be quite stressful – daunting. But the more prepared you are with those things, the more enjoyable the process is.”

Split-block business

Dan Gammon, Oak Vale Farms, Blandford Forum, Dorset

Holly and Dan Gammon, with daughters Issie (left), Josie and baby Heather © Supplied by Dan Gammon

Paying attention to mineral status and body condition, and following set protocols is fundamental to block-calving success, says Dan Gammon, who runs two block-calving herds with wife Holly: one calving in autumn, one in spring.

He believes that getting a correct magnesium status around calving (assisting their ability to mobilise calcium) helps set cows up for a successful lactation by avoiding milk fever issues.

“The things I look for are retained cleansings. I’d use that as a marker for subclinical milk fever and try and do something with mineral balance if I start to see retained cleansings,” he explains.

Dan says cows with subclinical milk fever will be less likely to eat or have the energy to graze sufficient nutrition post-calving.

They are also more likely to develop other diseases, which means prevention is essential.

This revolves around supplying spring calvers with a high-magnesium mineral through the mixer wagon, and up to 100g a cow a day of magnesium chloride mixed in silage in the two to three weeks pre-calving.

Autumn calvers receive 2kg a head a day of a high-magnesium cob under the fence line.

Ensuring cows are at body condition score (BCS) 3 at drying off – to calve in at 3-3.5 – is also essential.

Dan thinks fat cows will be predisposed to calving problems, setting up both the cow and calf for difficulties.

To avoid issues, those with suboptimal BCS at the end of lactation are dried off early and managed accordingly.

Training staff ahead of calving and putting protocols in place for specific tasks also means a smooth calving.

This includes strict protocols where colostrum is collected quickly and cleanly, and must then test over 22% using a refractometer before being fed or stored.

This ensures calves receive the best start, helping to keep disease low.

Autumn calver

George Wade, Honeypot Farm, Market Harborough, Leicestershire

George Wade and children Wilf and Iris © Supplied by Ellie Wade

Get BCS right at drying off and the reward will be a smooth calving period, good fertility and a successful lactation, according to autumn block-calver George Wade.

Milk recording data are used to identify animals giving less than 10 litres a day in mid-May, which could then benefit from being dried off early to maintain a target BCS of 3.

“There’s no point feeding them cake in the parlour and lovely lush grass as they’ll just get fat, and that will cause problems down the line,” says George.

That means a higher chance of milk fever, having a larger calf and calving issues.

Keeping on top of lameness also stops cows from getting too thin, which could be detrimental to energy status at calving.

Cows are foot-bathed four times a week, trimmed immediately if they need attention, and preventatively trimmed at drying off.

This has translated into 98% of the herd classified as not lame.

© George Wade

George focuses on not overfeeding cows close to calving, to avoid calves getting too fat and causing calving difficulties.

The herd is put on standing hay and ad-lib haylage three weeks prior to calving, plus tailored minerals through a water dosing system.

This includes a daily mix of 50g magnesium, 5g selenium and iodine plus 5g metals a cow, with the aim of preventing milk fever and aiding transition.

Cows going into their fifth lactation will get a calcium bolus, and bottle subcutaneously as part of milk fever prevention.