Dairy calf separation

[Blueskyfarmer]

Hi all, I've been dairy farming my whole life and one practice that I've never been sure on is calf separation at birth. I've never liked hearing my cows shouting for their calves and despite recognising it was best done early I wished there was a solution.

I've been thinking possible there would be a way to use technology to allow this to allow a more gradual and hopefully easier separation, I've been wondering if it would be possible to keep all calves in a common calving pen fed using an auto feeder however have a series of pens big enough for both cow and calf which are attached on to the main common area which access is controlled via electric gates.

1. A cow would go into the pen and her calf would see her and run our of the common area and be allowed in via the electric gate (gates control access to both cow and calf to ensure only cows get access to their own calves)

2. The cow and calf would spend time together feeding partially off the mother but getting used to the auto feeder while the mother is away. The mother would only get food and water in the main cubicle house and so would have to go there.

3. Once the cow leaves (some sort of gate required to ensure the calf can't get into the main cubicle house) the calf would return to the common area to socialise with the other calves and the cow would get milked.

I was thinking that maybe access could only be allowed after milking to encourage the calf to use the auto feeder. I believe this way the weaning process would be much easier, the calf would find it easier due to having alternate feed and having a social group of calves and the mother would find the calf generally less interested with time.

It may be pretry idealistic but surely its worth a try? I'm currently transitioning to robot farming and I'm handy with all things fabrication and technology related.

Let me know what you guys think

 

[Slippery Slope]

Sounds like a recipe for chaos but I admire your ambition.

 

[Beef farmer]

Mmmmm strong topic for 1st post

 

[Scholsey]

Mmmmm strong topic for 1st post

Good point.

 

[Treemover]

One year we were tight for space and put the new born calves in the bedder passage. Cows could lick their calves. Never heard a cow or calf roar and it got me thinking too.

Anything that makes it easier on them is worth doing.

 

[Shep]

I'm only milking 8 years, but I've never seen a problem, cows seem more interested in getting to the feed fence than worrying about a calf, never heard much roaring, in fact 99% I would say never make a peep, but then holsteins are terrible mothers.
Calves never miss the cow either.

 

[Daniel Larn]

Hi all, I've been dairy farming my whole life and one practice that I've never been sure on is calf separation at birth. I've never liked hearing my cows shouting for their calves and despite recognising it was best done early I wished there was a solution.

I've been thinking possible there would be a way to use technology to allow this to allow a more gradual and hopefully easier separation, I've been wondering if it would be possible to keep all calves in a common calving pen fed using an auto feeder however have a series of pens big enough for both cow and calf which are attached on to the main common area which access is controlled via electric gates.

1. A cow would go into the pen and her calf would see her and run our of the common area and be allowed in via the electric gate (gates control access to both cow and calf to ensure only cows get access to their own calves)

2. The cow and calf would spend time together feeding partially off the mother but getting used to the auto feeder while the mother is away. The mother would only get food and water in the main cubicle house and so would have to go there.

3. Once the cow leaves (some sort of gate required to ensure the calf can't get into the main cubicle house) the calf would return to the common area to socialise with the other calves and the cow would get milked.

I was thinking that maybe access could only be allowed after milking to encourage the calf to use the auto feeder. I believe this way the weaning process would be much easier, the calf would find it easier due to having alternate feed and having a social group of calves and the mother would find the calf generally less interested with time.

It may be pretry idealistic but surely its worth a try? I'm currently transitioning to robot farming and I'm handy with all things fabrication and technology related.

Let me know what you guys think

Have you thought about asking for some innovation funding look into this? there's a really handy little pot open right now:

KTN SPARK Awards 2019 - Innovate UK Business Connect

A call for up to 10 KTN SPARK Awards is now open for projects in Livestock & Aquaculture, Food & Drink, Industrial Biotechnology, and Plants &

ktn-uk.co.uk

You could probably ask an academic to do some preliminary studies for you, to see if it is really worth exploring in greater detail. If you'd like any assistance with this let me know, and I will see what I can do. I can certainly help point you in the right direction regards academics.

 

[som farmer]

sounds like something an rspca person,or similar, would dream up, looks good on paper, but so far from reallity, that one would suspect the postee doesn't live in the real world.

 

[Shep]

Much more of a problem for suckler and sheep, now every autumn you can hear the suckler cows for miles literally as they have built up a very strong bond. You can also tell which neighbours have taken a draw of lambs.
Funnily enough never hear anything from a dairy farm.

 

[Shep]

sounds like something an rspca person,or similar, would dream up, looks good on paper, but so far from reallity, that one would suspect the postee doesn't live in the real world.

Another stick to beat us with, its coming to the stage they can all eat briars and bracken.

 

[dinderleat]

Hi all, I've been dairy farming my whole life and one practice that I've never been sure on is calf separation at birth. I've never liked hearing my cows shouting for their calves and despite recognising it was best done early I wished there was a solution.

I've been thinking possible there would be a way to use technology to allow this to allow a more gradual and hopefully easier separation, I've been wondering if it would be possible to keep all calves in a common calving pen fed using an auto feeder however have a series of pens big enough for both cow and calf which are attached on to the main common area which access is controlled via electric gates.

1. A cow would go into the pen and her calf would see her and run our of the common area and be allowed in via the electric gate (gates control access to both cow and calf to ensure only cows get access to their own calves)

2. The cow and calf would spend time together feeding partially off the mother but getting used to the auto feeder while the mother is away. The mother would only get food and water in the main cubicle house and so would have to go there.

3. Once the cow leaves (some sort of gate required to ensure the calf can't get into the main cubicle house) the calf would return to the common area to socialise with the other calves and the cow would get milked.

I was thinking that maybe access could only be allowed after milking to encourage the calf to use the auto feeder. I believe this way the weaning process would be much easier, the calf would find it easier due to having alternate feed and having a social group of calves and the mother would find the calf generally less interested with time.

It may be pretry idealistic but surely its worth a try? I'm currently transitioning to robot farming and I'm handy with all things fabrication and technology related.

Let me know what you guys think

I’d rather spend the money on a state of the art calf shed, ensuring calves get the best start in life. Rather than the emotional state of the milking cows.

 

[Slowcow]

Its a interesting idea,
The biggest problem I can see is how are you going to make a smart gate or other that will let a cow through and not a calf?

Its easy the other way round, but the calves are monkeys and you won't be able to draw them into the calf pen by feeding cake at a certain time until their a few weeks old?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Hi all, I've been dairy farming my whole life and one practice that I've never been sure on is calf separation at birth. I've never liked hearing my cows shouting for their calves and despite recognising it was best done early I wished there was a solution.

I've been thinking possible there would be a way to use technology to allow this to allow a more gradual and hopefully easier separation, I've been wondering if it would be possible to keep all calves in a common calving pen fed using an auto feeder however have a series of pens big enough for both cow and calf which are attached on to the main common area which access is controlled via electric gates.

1. A cow would go into the pen and her calf would see her and run our of the common area and be allowed in via the electric gate (gates control access to both cow and calf to ensure only cows get access to their own calves)

2. The cow and calf would spend time together feeding partially off the mother but getting used to the auto feeder while the mother is away. The mother would only get food and water in the main cubicle house and so would have to go there.

3. Once the cow leaves (some sort of gate required to ensure the calf can't get into the main cubicle house) the calf would return to the common area to socialise with the other calves and the cow would get milked.

I was thinking that maybe access could only be allowed after milking to encourage the calf to use the auto feeder. I believe this way the weaning process would be much easier, the calf would find it easier due to having alternate feed and having a social group of calves and the mother would find the calf generally less interested with time.

It may be pretry idealistic but surely its worth a try? I'm currently transitioning to robot farming and I'm handy with all things fabrication and technology related.

Let me know what you guys think

You’ve been milking cows all your life? If we are tellin stories surely you can do better than that.

 

[O'Reilly]

Now that arla are dealing with the shooting calves problem, the ar types will be looking at this next. They love talking about ripping calves from their mothers. The industry will have to do something before it is done for us.

 

[PaulNix]

3. Once the cow leaves (some sort of gate required to ensure the calf can't get into the main cubicle house) the calf would return to the common area to socialise with the other calves and the cow would get milked.

I was thinking that maybe access could only be allowed after milking to encourage the calf to use the auto feeder.

Unless I am not following you properly you contradicted yourself there. Which one is it, either cow leaves to be milked or only goes in after milking, either could be a disaster for mastitis in a dairy herd and provide a lot more problems than the non problem it seeks to solve.
Cow's if separated at birth or at a day or two old don't make a fuss for very long if at all as they are more food and routine surrounding the herd based than beef cows which is all about the calf first, it would be first break best break in the case where dairy farmer feed milk powder.

Sorry but you are looking for a solution to a problem which doesn't exist apart from in the minds of those who seek to push their own agenda.

 

[applejack]

Much more of a problem for suckler and sheep, now every autumn you can hear the suckler cows for miles literally as they have built up a very strong bond. You can also tell which neighbours have taken a draw of lambs.
Funnily enough never hear anything from a dairy farm.

Unless I am not following you properly you contradicted yourself there. Which one is it, either cow leaves to be milked or only goes in after milking, either could be a disaster for mastitis in a dairy herd and provide a lot more problems than the non problem it seeks to solve.
Cow's if separated at birth or at a day or two old don't make a fuss for very long if at all as they are more food and routine surrounding the herd based than beef cows which is all about the calf first, it would be first break best break in the case where dairy farmer feed milk powder.

Sorry but you are looking for a solution to a problem which doesn't exist apart from in the minds of those who seek to push their own agenda.

The two most sensible replies so far, does common sense exist any more.

 

[Homesy]

The faster the cow and calf are separated the better. The longer they stay together the stronger the bond for both cow and calf. I take mine away as soon as they are seen. You also have to consider Johnes. The more a calf is suckled the more likely the calf is likely to suffer from this terrible condition.
Your intentions are noble but the consequences are dire. This is anthropomorphism at its worst.

 

[som farmer]

no reply from op, why????

 

[Beef farmer]

no reply from op, why????

Busy on top of a train protesting?

 

[Adam@Rumen]

@Clive @Chris F need the "New Member" tab back rather than just member to make it a bit more obvious...