16 / 20
CAL F HEALTH
WORKING
TOGETHER
FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...
15
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
TREENIE BOWSER,
PARKLANDS VETERINARY PRACTICE, NORTHERN IRELAND
Over the past two years, XLVets’ Parklands Veterinary Practice in
Northern Ireland has been running a scheme to help dairy farmers get
their heifer calves off to a good start in life, stay healthy and continue
to grow well. It’s called the 4x4 Club – the aim is for heifers to weigh at
least 400kg by 400 days of age, so that ultimately they can calve
down at the recognised ideal of 24 months of age.
Scheme helps heifer
replacements
make 400kg by 400 days
The 4x4 Club
Parklands’ practice manager David Mulligan
explains: ‘When we launched the 4x4 Club
in September 2013, the average age at
first calving in Northern Ireland was 30
months, and amongst Parklands’ clients,
28-29 months.
‘We had run a very successful club for dairy
clients – the Parklands Udder Management
Programme, ‘PUMP’ – and felt as vets, we
had the ability to collate all the correct
information on how best to rear calves, and
disseminate this to our clients.
‘There are economic losses in having a later
first calving date; not only high heifer rearing
costs and a longer time to payback, but also
reduced lifetime yields and cow longevity.
‘We held two information evenings, and
there was both interest and surprise at the
inefficiencies we were highlighting.
‘We designated four of our vets across the
two practice branches to buddy up with
participating farms. A monthly membership
fee is charged and in return, those who sign
up to the Club attend four half-day training
courses on rearing the different ages of
the calf. Farmers also receive an initial
consultancy visit where the vet evaluates
every area of calf rearing – housing,
feeding, colostrum quality, etc. Advice on
improvements can then be made. Participants
are also given a colostrometer and weigh
tape. On an ongoing basis, we carry out
total protein checks on young calves to assess
antibody transfer from colostrum, and take
dung samples for faecal egg counts to
determine coccidiosis and worm burdens,
so that appropriate prevention strategies can
be put in place.
‘We have found the regular support of
monitoring total proteins in young calves
along with diagnostic support that is available
to club members, e.g. to investigate scouring,
has helped Club members and the wellbeing
of calves across the practice has flourished.’
David Mulligan, practice manager, Parklands
Veterinary surgeon
Treenie Bowser
XLVets practice
Parklands Veterinary
Practice