Calves generally refer to calves before 6 months of age, and replacement cows generally refer to cows from 6 months of age to the first calf.
It is customary to call replacement cows from 6 to 12 months old as breeding cows, while cows from 12 months old to first calving are called young cows.
During the calf stage, the following management tasks should be done.
1. Feed colostrum well.
Colostrum is rich in nutrients and also contains lysozyme and antibody proteins. Colostrum can generally be fed to calves when they can stand up 2 hours after birth.
Colostrum should be expressed and fed immediately to prevent deterioration or temperature drop.
After calves are fed colostrum for 5 to 7 days, they are fed regular milk until they are 6O days old.
The daily feeding amount is 8 kilograms from 1 to 7 days old, fed in 3 times.
From 8 to 35 days old, the weight is 6 kg, fed in 2 times.
36-5O days old is 5 kg, fed in 2 times.
5l to 56 days old is 4 kg, fed in 2 times.
57-6O days old weighs 3 kg and should be fed once at night.
2. Train calves.
For newborn calves that cannot suck milk, you can dip your hands into milk and put it into the calf’s mouth, repeating this many times.
Brush calves frequently.
The breeders often come into contact with the calves to prevent them from being afraid of people and causing them to nudge people when they grow up. They also need to train the cattle to position themselves, recognize their beds, and get on the milking table.
3. Weaning and feeding.
The weaning time is generally controlled between 7O and 9O days. Starting from the 7th day after the calf is born, in addition to feeding milk, starter feed, hay and water should be fed, and a small amount of grass can also be fed. .
The starter feed is made of corn, barley, (cooked) soybean meal, a small amount of peanut meal, fish meal, calcium hydrogen phosphate, additives, etc., with a crude protein content higher than 2l%, crude fiber less than 15%, and crude fat About 8%, it is best to make it into granular materials.
The amount of starter feed should be increased as needed. The calf can be weaned when it can eat 1 kilogram of starter feed per day.
After weaning, continue feeding starter feed until 4 months of age, and feed 1.8 to 2.5 kilograms of concentrate per day to reduce weaning stress.
After 4 months of age, it can be replaced with adult cattle or young cattle concentrate.
Breding cattle are in the most vigorous period of growth and development. The feeding characteristics are mainly green and roughage, such as a large supply of green juice, Leymus chinensis, alfalfa hay, and silage corn, with appropriate supplements. Fine material.
The daily supplementary amount of concentrate is about 3 kilograms before the age of 1.
After the cow is 1 year old, attention should be paid to observing its estrus performance. Artificial insemination is generally performed when the cow's weight reaches 350 kg (15 to 18 months old).
After the cow becomes pregnant, the supply of concentrate should be appropriately increased. Depending on the quality of green roughage, the daily dosage of concentrate can be 3 to 4 kilograms.
For young cattle that are not in poor fat condition but are not yet pregnant, the supply of concentrate can be reduced to avoid fat deposition in the uterus and ovaries, which may affect development and conception.
For thin young cattle, it is necessary to find out the cause.
For malnourished cattle, the supply of concentrate can be appropriately increased and combined with a certain amount of high-quality roughage.
Practice has proven that breast massage of young cattle can promote breast development and facilitate milk production after delivery.
Generally, udder massage begins after the cow is pregnant. The method is to wipe and massage the bottom middle groove and both sides of the udder with a warm wet towel.
Massage at least once a day, preferably once in the morning and once in the afternoon, for 1 to 3 minutes each time, and stop one month before the expected date of delivery.