STUDY CALF REARING ONLINE
Calving and Calf rearing are very important aspects of cattle and dairy production.
- For dairy herds where the majority of calves are reared away from their dams
- For beef herds, the cow calves and then rears her calf for 6 - 7 months until it is weaned.
Student Comment
"I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to raise calves!!" R. Beitlich - Calf Rearing student.
Lesson Structure
There are 7 lessons in this course:
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Calving and Culling
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Introduction
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Research into raising dairy calves
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Principles of good calf rearing
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Pre-calving management
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Managing the cow for a healthy calf
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Colostrum management
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Calf selection
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Estimated Breeding Value (EBV)
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Culling
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Assessing calves for suitability in a rearing system
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Calving Management
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The birth of a calf
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Signs that the birth is close
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Stages in a normal birth
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Calving problems
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Important points
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Abnormal presentations
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The calf at birth
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Colostrum
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Stress and pathogen exposure
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Managing stress
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Managing pathogen exposure
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The calf digestive tract
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Rumen development
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Bacteria
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Liquid in the rumen
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Outflows of rumen materials
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Absorptive qualities
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Substrate (Dry feed Intake)
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Calf Health Management
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Overview
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Common calf diseases
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Scours
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Coccidiosis
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Round Worm Scours
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Lung worm
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Calf diptheria
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Pneumonia
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Clostridial Disease
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salmonella
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Navel and joint ill
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Stress and the young calf
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Transport stress
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Feeding stress
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Heat and cold
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Calf Rearing Systems
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Birth to weaning
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Natural Systems of Calf Rearing
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Single suckling
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Multiple suckling
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Foster suckling
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Race suckling
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Early weaning
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Artificial systems of calf rearing
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Teaching the calf to drink
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A basic Feeding program
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Milk Substitute
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Common calf rearing systems
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Rearing calves at grass
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Five and a half day system
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Once a day system
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Cold milk system
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Acidified milk replacers
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Mildly acidic milk replacers
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Strongly acidic milk replacers
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Milk-fed veal production
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Calf Housing
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Ventilation
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Isolation
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Comfort
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Economy
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Calf Pens
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Metal crates
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The calf hutch
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Weaning
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Stress at weaning
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General weaning transition strategies
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Providing water
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Weaning at twelve and eight weeks
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Weaning at five weeks
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Weaning at four weeks
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Post-weaning
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Post weaning period
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Calf husbandry practices
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Reducing surgical stress
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Cattle identification
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Castration
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Bloodless castration
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Surgical Castration
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Dehorning
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When to dehorn
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Dehorning instruments and equipment
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Tetanus
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Vaccination and Worming
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Select calves for specified purposes, including dairy stock, and breeding stock.
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Explain the methods of managing calving operations on a farm.
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Explain the diagnosis of common health problems which may occur in calves.
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Explain different techniques of calf rearing.
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Explain the housing requirements of calves in an animal production situation.
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Explain the procedures for weaning calves in an commercial situation.
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Explain the post-weaning requirements of calves, in a commercial situation.
What You Will Do
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Explain the phenotype factors related to the selection of calves.
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Explain the genotype factors related to the selection of calves.
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Write a checklist of criteria for selecting calves for dairying.
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Explain how breeding can assist in obtaining calves for three different specified purposes.
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Describe the different stages in the normal birth of a calf.
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Explain the process of calving, in response to either observations of a calf being born, or the viewing of a video of a calf being born.
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Explain at least five problems that can occur during calving, on a typical property in the learner's locality.
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Analyse two case studies of problematic calving incidents.
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List at least four methods for over-coming specified calving problems.
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List the common health problems which can occur with calves in the learner's locality.
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Describe the symptoms of at least three common calf diseases, including scouring.
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Explain the possible effects of stress on a calf.
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Explain an appropriate treatment for at least three common calf diseases, including scouring.
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Develop guidelines for stock culling, for a specified property.
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Analyse data in a case study in order to diagnose the health problems of a calf.
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Report on an examination of the condition of a calf inspected by the learner.
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Describe calf husbandry techniques observed by the learner, including:
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Earmarking
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Castration
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Dehorning
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Branding
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Tattooing
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Drenching
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Compare natural calf rearing techniques with artificial calf rearing techniques.
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Determine the appropriate method of calf rearing for a specified property.
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List the criteria which need to be satisfied in the design of calf housing facilities, in the learner's locality.
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Compare the suitability of different building materials for calf housing facilities, in different climates.
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Analyse calf housing facilities on a specified property in order to determine the appropriateness of their design.
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Prepare a design for a calf housing facility, including:
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A sketch/concept plan
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A description of materials
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An estimate of cost
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Explain the stages of weaning a calf on a property with which the learner is familiar.
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List the possible problems which may arise in weaning calves.
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Recommend suitable treatments for the weaning problems.
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Explain the stages of post weaning for a normal calf on a property with which the learner is familiar.
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List the problems which may arise with calves during the post-weaning period.
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Explain any variations that may be applied to the procedure of post-weaning a calf.
Beef cattle will feed their calves naturally, look after them and keep the calf out of trouble. This is how young animals are reared in the wild and it is the best way because the calf can help itself to small amounts of milk whenever it is hungry. The milk is clean and at the correct temperature. Dairy calves, in contrast, are generally reared artificially.
If you are rearing the calf, it is taken away from the cow at four days old so that the cow can be milked by hand or machine for the rest of her lactation. The calf is fed from a bucket or a calf milk bar, on full milk or milk substitute. This type of calf rearing is full of difficulties and the mortality rate among calves reared in this way can be very high. The focus of the following discussion will be on rearing dairy calves but the information provided is relevant to any situation where a calf must be taken from the dam and reared at an early age.
MEET SOME OF OUR TUTORS
Dr. Gareth Pearce BSc(Hons), BVSc, MA, MVetS, PhD, GradCertEd(HE), PGCertAqVetS, PGCertWLBio&Cons, DiplECPHM, MRCVS. Gareth has over 25 years of experience in teaching and research in agriculture, veterinary medicine, wildlife ecology and conservation in a variety of colleges and universities in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. He qualified as a veterinary surgeon at the Universities of Melbourne and Bristol, having previously graduated in Agricultural Science and gained a PhD in Livestock Behaviour and Production. He also has post-graduate qualifications in Education, Wildlife Conservation Medicine, Aquatic Veterinary Studies and Wildlife Biology & Conservation.
Anna Sylvester B.Sc.Hons.(Human Biology), M.Sc.Equine
Anna graduated with a degree in Human Biology from Loughborough University and then went on to complete an MSc in Equine Science at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and has a high level of expertise in equine science. She has since spent time in managerial, research and lecturing positions. She also has practical equine experience, and still competes nationally whenever the opportunity arises.
Marius Erasmus B.Sc.Agric., B.Sc.(Wildlife), M.Sc.Agric.
Subsequent to completing a BSc (agric) degree in animal science, he completed an honours degree in wildlife management, and a masters degree in production animal physiology. Following the Masters degree, he has worked for 9 years in the UK, and South Africa; in wildlife management, dairy, beef and poultry farming.
FAQ's
What qualification will I achieve for completing this course?
This is an individual module course. The individual module courses are 100 hour long usually and can be taken on their own or as part of a larger program of study.
If you wish to take an individual module course as a stand alone course, you can elect to sit an optional exam at the end of it.
If you successfully pass the exam and all assignments, you will receive a Statement of Attainment. You can take examinations at a time and location to suit you. If you enrol, you will be sent further information on how to arrange examinations at the end of the course.
If you do not wish to take the exam, you will receive a Course Completion letter when you have passed all assignments.
There is an assignment at the end of each lesson. So for example, if an individual module course contains ten lessons, you will need to complete ten assignments. Assignments can be sent to us via email, post or fax.
Other qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas etc may require examinations to be taken as part of the overall assessment process.
You can find further information on the examinations process by clicking on the “Enrolment” link above.
You can find further information on other courses by clicking on the “Courses” link above.
More Information on ACS Distance Education and our courses
Who are our tutors?
Our tutors are all highly experienced and professional, knowledgeable in their field of study. We have staff from around the world, enabling us to gain a wide variety of perspectives. We have a school in the UK and in Australia. If you would like to have a look at our tutors, then click on the “About Us” in the boxes above and choose “The Staff” option.
Sample Course Notes
Our courses are all written by highly qualified tutors and writers, who also teach on the courses, so know them well. We strive to update our courses and improve them with new information, methods and knowledge on an ongoing basis. If you would like to see examples of some of our courses, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, and then click on “Sample Course Notes”.
What learning method should I choose?
We offer three learning methods – e-learning, correspondence and online. If you are not sure which is the right choose for you, then click on the “Learning” box above, then “Learning Methods.”
How Long will it take to complete the course?
This obviously varies from student to student. Some students will have more time for study than others. Some students may work quicker than others, so it is an individual thing. We estimate that most students will take, for example, 4 – 6 months to complete a 100 hour individual module, but we allow up to 12 months for you to complete it.
Longer courses will obviously take longer. You can find more information on the length of time required and so on the “Enrolment” box, then selecting “Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.”
What Do Our Students think of us?
If you would like to read comments from our previous students, then choose the “About Us” option above, then “Student Testimonials”.
I don’t think this is the right course for me.
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You may also wish to design your own course to fit in with exactly what YOU want. To do so, click on the “Enrolment” box, then “Design your Own Course”.
If you would like more advice on a course, then you can contact us and ask a tutor about the courses. You can contact us by calling 0800 328 4723 or +44(0) 384 442752 or emailing info@acsedu.co.uk
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If you want to know more about ACS and our history, then please click on “The School”, then “About us.”
