Knowledgebase
Kingshay's Knowledgebase - Calf Health
![BVD Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Update](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/Cow-Calf--1024x768.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle caused by the pestivirus. It causes huge losses in terms of reduced herd health, fertility, pr...
![Calf Housing Farming Note](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/mycoplasma1.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
It is estimated that more than 6% of calves die before they reach six months of age, most of these losses occur in the first month of the calves’ life and many are a re...
![Calf Weaning](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/Calf-close-up-Clapps.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Traditional calf feeding practice limits milk fed to encourage early intakes of concentrates and promote earlier weaning, to cut feed costs and labour. Recent research ho...
![Clostridial Diseases Farming Note](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/BFM-herd180505-for-Jeremy.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Clostridial bacteria are always in the environment but once triggered by a stress factor to release toxins, they can lead to disease which often proves fatal. Clostridial...
![Coccidiosis Farming Note](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/coccidiosis.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Coccidiosis infection in young cattle reduces daily liveweight gain, increases the cost of cattle rearing and in severe cases can be fatal. If coccidiosis is present on a...
![Colostrum Hygiene & Storage](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/Picture1-6.png&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Heifer calves are the future of your dairy herd, you don’t get a second chance at getting it right. Therefore, time taken for attention to detail pays dividends not onl...
![Computerised Calf Feeders](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/Calf-feeding-in-station-8-1024x768.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Computerised calf feeders are becoming increasingly popular to help labour efficiencies. Managed well, they can improve milk feeding consistency, drive weight gains and o...
![Feeding the calf](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/managing-twinning.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
In a traditional dairy calf rearing system, calves are fed 10% of their birthweight in milk over two feeds daily i.e. 2 feeds of 2 litres. In comparison, a calf left on t...
![Heat Stress Farming Note](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/ParlourFan.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Heat stress in dairy cows can occur at temperatures of 22oC and above. A cow's digestive process creates a lot of heat energy (1.4 kW/day of heat for a cow producing 30 l...
![Heifers at Turnout](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/Heifers-riverbank-5-1024x680.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Consistent growth throughout their early years is essential to ensure heifers calve in at the most economical age at first calving of 24 months, but all too often turnout...
![IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis) Farming Note](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/IBR.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
IBR is an acute viral disease characterised by inflammation and necrosis of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract which can lead to fatal pneumonia. With th...
![Improving Immunity Farming Note](https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/plugins/kingshay/kingshay-image.php?src=https://www.kingshay.com/wp-content/uploads/improving-immunity.jpg&w=103&h=103&zc=1&a=c&q=100)
Kingshay Dairy Costings show that 40% of cows culled were as a direct result of health factors. This represents a significant avoidable loss, whilst health issues can als...