March 16, 2021 6:20 am
As St. Patricks day approaches, so does the one million mark for calf registrations. Currently calf registrations are 44,166 ahead of last year’s figure, with a total of 996,574 calves registered since the beginning of 2021.
Concerns still remain about what will happen these calves as prices being paid for calves in marts have fallen and exports are also falling behind due to the lack of demand for calves on the continent.
Calf trade: Shipping calves receive a setback in price again
The week ending March 12, saw some 124,564 calves being registered, which is actually a decrease compared to last year’s figure for the same time period, when 132,021 calves were registered.
March and into early April is commonly the time when any calf health issues occur on farms.
This is usually because the number of calves on the farm has increased, housing facilities have come under pressure and the bacteria load in the environment is usually at its highest.
Therefore, it is critical that farmers take extra precautions to try and prevent any scour outbreak or other issues occurring during this period.
The first place to start is with the calf housing facilities. Ensure calves have enough space (1.7m² floor space and 10m³ air space) and that pens are not overcrowded.