Dealing with calving issues 

The arrival of new calves is always rewarding, but the demands of the season often leave little time to appreciate it. These calves now play a critical role in overall farm income, particularly as milk prices fall and beef prices rise. Achieving a healthy calf depends heavily on dry cow management and ensuring the calf receives three to four litres of colostrum within the first two hours to build essential immunity.
Preventing metabolic issues is vital. While many challenges stem from the dry period, corrective action is always possible. Early season problems such as milk fever or retained membranes can be difficult to manage when calving pressure is high, so timely advice from a vet or nutritionist can be invaluable. If metabolic issues arise, the following areas should be assessed:

• Body condition score (BCS): Aim for 90 per cent of cows to be between BCS 3.0 and 3.25. If cows are gaining condition during the dry period, adjust the diet accordingly. Over conditioned cows are significantly more prone to metabolic disorders. Minor feed restrictions, lower quality silage, or additional straw may help. Avoid drastic dietary changes that increase stress.
• Nutrition: Closely linked to BCS, nutrition should be balanced for energy and protein. Assess actual intake and test silage quality to verify assumptions.
• Minerals: Ensure cows receive the correct mineral levels. Check the inclusion rate on the bag. Silage should be tested, as high potassium can interfere with mineral balance. Mineral suppliers can provide guidance if there are issues as they can deal with these issues all the time. Some cows that develop milk fever post calving may be deficient in minerals after calving rather than during the dry period, highlighting the importance of timely introduction of milking cow minerals/calcium.
• Management: Stress is a major contributing factor. Identify bottlenecks such as limited feed access, inadequate water supply, or insufficient lying space. This can be both in the shed and calving areas. Even strong nutritional and mineral programmes can be undermined by environmental or management related stress.

Seek support from trusted professionals who work routinely with these issues and can offer practical, experience-based solutions.