Good calf health starts with the basics. For Canterbury farmer Rose Megaw, creating a cleaner, drier calf-rearing environment has become an important part of her overall calf management approach.
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Good calf health starts with the basics. For Canterbury farmer Rose Megaw, creating a cleaner, drier calf-rearing environment has become an important part of her overall calf management approach.
Rose describes her two replacement calf sheds as north-facing. The larger shed is roomy with good airflow, featuring closed partitions between the pens. With help from a Gateway student (two days a week), Rose is rearing approximately 300 replacement calves through here.
In the smaller calf shed, she employs a full-time rearer to help manage 160 calves. This shed has a lower ceiling and is reasonably cosy. Like many farmers rearing significant numbers of calves, Rose knows the importance of getting the rearing environment right.
“Over the years we’ve dealt with crypto, salmonella and rotavirus,” she says. “Some seasons have been tough and finding ways to support good hygiene and calf health has always been important.”
Both sheds use bark chip bedding, and Rose says maintaining bedding quality throughout the season can be a challenge, particularly when moisture and ammonia begin to build up. Following a recommendation from another farmer rearing large numbers of calves, Rose looked into Stalosan F.
“When I read about it, I liked that it had broad spectrum efficacy,” said Rose. “Also, having had salmonella in the herd just prior to calving, the concept of bringing the pH level of the shed down made good sense.”
Stalosan F is a dry acidic disinfectant with a pH of 3.5 designed to be applied directly to bedding. As calf sheds become wetter through normal use, moisture and ammonia can accumulate, creating conditions that may support the growth of disease-causing organisms. Stalosan F is designed to help lower pH levels while also binding moisture and ammonia, creating a drier environment.
For Rose, one of the first things she noticed was the change in bedding condition.
“There was a noticeable difference in moisture levels,” she says. “We had previously been spraying bedding, which was adding moisture back into the shed. Using a dry product felt like a better fit for our system.
“It is straightforward to use, and because you can see where it’s been applied, it’s easy for someone else to take over the job if needed.”
She also noticed a reduction in ammonia odour.
“That smell we’d always associated with the sheds largely disappeared. Using Stalosan F weekly, the sheds felt fresher and when the second group of calves came through, the bedding was still holding up reasonably well.”
Rose believes several factors have contributed to improved outcomes in recent seasons, including changing her feeding system and a stronger focus on shed hygiene.
“My advice to anyone not using this product would be go for it. It may look pricey but a little goes a long way and I’m confident it does what it’s meant to. Using Stalosan F in the calf shed has given me good peace of mind.”
Talk with your local Farm Source TSR about calf shed hygiene, bedding management and tools that can help create a healthier environment for your calves.
Speak to our team of local dairy experts - pop into one of our Farm Source stores or contact us below.
Speak to our team of local dairy experts - pop into one of our Farm Source stores or contact us below.
Article supplied by Stock IQ