Calf Jackets

[TelesnaAg]

Note to self: when need washing take to laundry mat....pity the next persons washing however....

Ant...

 

[Sid]

Quite the opposite. It is difficult to get a calf shed that ventilates properly but is warm enough - 365 days per year.

What we know about calf coats:

• Keeping calves warm allows them to use energy for growth rather than for maintenance of body temperature.
  
• The first 3 months are the most efficient feed conversion in the animal's life - exploit it
• Lower feed costs, either heavier at weaning or to weaning weight sooner
• I forget the exact details, but a trial (maybe Harper Adams, don't have time to find it now) showed +£3 per calf financial benefit.

You do need to take them off if it gets warm in the day (sweating under the coat is very bad). They need to be washed between uses.

I've seen a lot of guys buy a couple for sick or small calves and quickly they buy a full set. If used properly I'm sure they are a good thing!

£3 a calf wow. and how much labour does it take to go in everyday to take off and put on a coat? Cause I'm sure a sweating calf will have an affected dlwg as well.

if a calfs growrh rate is best for 12 weeks why wean at 6?

I don't see suckler calves needing coats etc? Maybe we can learn something from them?

 

[jimmer]

£3 a calf wow. and how much labour does it take to go in everyday to take off and put on a coat? Cause I'm sure a sweating calf will have an affected dlwg as well.

if a calfs growrh rate is best for 12 weeks why wean at 6?

I don't see suckler calves needing coats etc? Maybe we can learn something from them?

whilst i agree with you entirely about making them soft , i assume these jackets are breathable

i and probably yourself put extra layers on on cold days , and i certainly aint soft

£3 extra weight gain might not be substantial , but ill calves and drugs are costly

i dont have any jackets by the way

 

[dazza b]

This may be a bit off topic but when calves were brought up under lofts didn't they used to stuff every hole up so no cold air would get in? If this worked how come now it's all about ventilation?

 

[Sid]

whilst i agree with you entirely about making them soft , i assume these jackets are breathable

i and probably yourself put extra layers on on cold days , and i certainly aint soft

£3 extra weight gain might not be substantial , but ill calves and drugs are costly

i dont have any jackets by the way

Its all about fresh air with no draughts. Not easy to do when you need a shed to get a 170hp loader tractor in to clean it out. What the shed should be is the calf.

 

[Will Blackburn]

Cosy calf coats are great, best of the two types i've got.

 

[phil the cat]

January this year, we normally don't start calving until mid Feb but bought this one in calf

 

[S J H]

Anyone have a look at the Delaval jacket? Spoke to a guy today who said they are £35-£40 according to the local Delaval agent.

They looked like the best type to me. I'm after a couple in case anything had a bad start, but we only have suckers.

I can see it being a big advantage for dairy, as you've taken the calf away from its natural source of heat!

 

[Will Blackburn]

Its all about fresh air with no draughts. Not easy to do when you need a shed to get a 170hp loader tractor in to clean it out. What the shed should be is the calf.

If a calf coat is an anathema to calf rearing then wtf is a calf shed, with fresh air but no air movement.

 

[TelesnaAg]

In AUS dedicated calf sheds are rare, we normally use 3 sided hayseeds, that are built facing the wrong way!....after say a spring calf rearing session then the pens get ripped out and shed gets stocked full of hay etc until autumn when the next lot of rearing will occur. So most sheds are dual purpose...I'd say the jackets for calfs that might not start strong would be an economical investment...and I would assume you would get reasonable life out of them plus some springs and autumns are warm so they can stay in the cupboard...

Ant..

 

[sandywil90]

Deep bedding in calf houses are a must anyway! some jackets don't give as good a coverage around the vital organs as others!

 

[Headless chicken]

If your buying a lot of powder why not push your rep to through in a calf jacket. Don't ask don't get.

Everyone who has these jackets say they're the best thing ever and as jimmer said when it goes cold we put an extra layer on and have an extra choc biscuit to keep us warm.

as far as heated cubicles cows like it cooler than us. If we're cold a cow is content apparently. Although maybe a sick cow in winter would like a hear blanket

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

This may be a bit off topic but when calves were brought up under lofts didn't they used to stuff every hole up so no cold air would get in? If this worked how come now it's all about ventilation?

Increased stocking densities?

 

[Will Blackburn]

If your buying a lot of powder why not push your rep to through in a calf jacket. Don't ask don't get.

They would sell less powder if they gave away calf jackets, like selling lunch time meals at 3pm.

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

Our calf building is tall enough to get in with a telehandler. Last winter we built 'hutches' in the mixed calf pens out of pallets, wood and old insulated panels, with extra deep straw bedding. When not eating or drinking most of the time most of the calves huddled together in the hutches, even the ones with jackets on.

 

[bigw]

Its all about fresh air with no draughts. Not easy to do when you need a shed to get a 170hp loader tractor in to clean it out. What the shed should be is the calf.

Try getting some gale force northerlies with snow and a severe wind chill, that'll sort your calves out. We have found them to be very worthwhile and have not seen a case of pneumonia since using them and help level out the swings in temperature mainly due to wind chill. You should try a few, the results may surprise you.

 

[Headless chicken]

They would sell less powder if they gave away calf jackets, like selling lunch time meals at 3pm.

Fairly sure wynnstay were doing something not so long ago.
I think less are thinking like that now and more aiming for the whole package. If their coats work then you go any buy more so they make money.

 

[Alicecow]

Do they have to go on the calf when he is very young? Would 3 months old be too old? (Chx suckler but no mamma.)

 

[Will Blackburn]

Do they have to go on the calf when he is very young? Would 3 months old be too old? (Chx suckler but no mamma.)

When they are ruminating fully they have their own heat source so should be of limited benefit after 6 - 8 weeks.

 

[Alicecow]

When they are ruminating fully they have their own heat source so should be of limited benefit after 6 - 8 weeks.

Ok, thanks. He's smaller than a heifer the same age due to lack of milk from mamma and wouldn't take bottle, I've been bringing them in at night but have to move to different field for a week or 2 with no shed in it. Maybe I worry too much!