Good calving nutrition can better support calving season

Good calving nutrition can better support calving season

With calving season just around the corner, the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and SealesWinslow have teamed up to educate dairying women around the importance of good calf nutrition.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients, through its animal nutrition business, SealesWinslow, will be running a series of interactive calf nutrition days across nine locations in New Zealand during June and July.

Mike Stephens, dairy category manager for Ballance Agri-Nutrients said the sessions will provide participants with practical, hands-on skills to raise healthy calves and, in the long term, build healthier and more profitable herds.

“As part of each session, we will have a nutritionist who will talk about how achieving genetic potential and profitable replacements can be achieved in order to get the most out of animals in the herd,” said Mr Stephens.

“They will also talk through successful rumen development and early weaning, targets and growth rates, and what makes a good calf feed.”

A vet will present some of the more common problems experienced during calving season and how these issues can be avoided. These include hygiene of the pens, stopping cross contamination, watching calves navels/ joint ill, how different types of electrolytes work, what vaccinations actually do, and the importance of hydration during scouring.

“We also know that calving is typically a stressful time on the farm, so we’ve put together a package of support to help dairying women get through this time with as much ease as possible.

“The female business partner generally plays an important role around calving, so we see this as an important way we can add value to dairying women. This is a great opportunity for DWN members to utilise the experience and expertise of trained animal nutritionists, and re-look at what can be done or done better to improve calf nutrition,” said Mr Stephens.

Dairy Women’s Network chief executive Zelda de Villers said the network was pleased to be part of this initiative.

“This is a great way to support our members. It will set them up to be well prepared for what lies ahead in the upcoming calving season,” said de Villers.

The workshops started on 26 June in Te Aroha and finish in the south on 29 July in Invercargill.

For more information visit www.dwn.co.nz or phone 0800 396 748.

-ENDS –

© Scoop Media