Calf rearing is a crucial stage in the beef production life cycle, laying the foundations for future herd performance and success. A healthy start means a thriving future, and a key aspect of this is ensuring calves hit their weight
targets. An often overlooked element is regular weighing, providing valuable insights into growth patterns, DLWG and overall health status. The first few weeks of a calf’s life are crucial for growth and development. During this preweaning period, 4-8 weeks, a daily liveweight gain target of 0.8-1.0 kg is ideal. This ensures they develop a strong immune system and lays the groundwork for future production. Once calves reach 8-12 weeks the focus shifts to maintaining the growth curve and preparing them for either future breeding or growing and finishing. Regular weighing offers a powerful tool for monitoring calf health and development.
Here’s why it’s crucial:
Weighing at regular intervals highlights any deviations from the target weight gain. This allows for early intervention, addressing issues like inadequate nutrition, illness, or parasite infestations before they become major setbacks and costly financially both now and in the future. By tracking weight gain alongside feed consumption, farmers can optimise feed rations, ensuring calves receive adequate nutrition without waste.
Sudden weight loss can be an early indicator of disease. Early detection allows for prompt treatment, minimising the risk of complications and further spread. Weighing data provides valuable feedback on the effectiveness of calf rearing practices, allowing farmers to make adjustments and improve overall herd health, productivity and maximise calf growth by giving them the best start in life.
At NWF Agriculture, we understand the importance of regular weighing for calf health and growth. That’s why we offer a free monthly weighing service. Our experienced team will track each calf’s progress, providing farmers with detailed reports and personalised recommendations for optimising their care and suggestions on how to increase their daily liveweight gain. Our weighing equipment is calibrated to ensure accurate and reliable measurements, providing the precise data and a monthly report to assist with decision-making.
Contact us to schedule your free monthly weighing service. Investing in your calves’ health is investing in the future of your dairy operation. Together, let’s set them up for a successful and profitable journey!
Speak to your local NWF sales specialist about maximising your calf rearing enterprise or call 0800 756 2787 to get in touch with the NWF Youngstock Team.
For further information on maximising your beef herd, please speak to your local NWF Sales Specialist or call 0800 756 2787.
