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Calf care and management in Sirugamani cow project |
A cow project is being implemented by SEVAI with the support of OFI and
its Volunteers both technically and financially. Klein Ariane,
Eléonore DESTANNES, the French volunteers are in the process of training the
local farmers those rear cows. Klein and
Eleonore are involved in project designing and now they are also in midterm
review of the project and also give corrective measures for better yeilding of
milk in Sirugamani cow farm.SEVAI Team expressed their appreciation for the
involvement of Klein Ariane, Eléonore team involved in this process of
promoting the cow farm with the support of Donateurs particuliers, Ulule, Rotary
Club de Mauriac, Dotation Solidarité Nord/Sud, Conseil général de
Meurthe-et-Moselle, Ville de Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, Rotary de Villefranche de
Rouergue and OFI Team members. Klein Ariane, Eléonore are with preparation
training modules in cow rearing.Mrs.Benjamine Oberoi,the Vice President of OFI
visited and had interaction with local farm care takers and also with Klein
Ariane, Eléonore. Klein Ariane, Eléonore team prepared a training module for
the benefit of the calf managment in this Sirugamani cow farm. Klein Ariane,
Eléonore enlightened « When birth moment
is coming, place the mother in a clean and isolated area. The time between the
breaking of the bag of water (loss of water) and the birth must not longer than
3 hours. If so, the calf is in danger: call the vet. The placenta must be out in 24 hours. If it takes more time,
don’t pull on it by yourself but call the vet. You can cut it with clean scissors. If the calf is stillborn, burn the body and
the placenta. Keep the cow apart for 24 hours. Calf’s
first care:- Help the calf to breath by taking out the mucus he has in
the nose and the mouth.- If it is not vigorous, cold water on the neck will help
waking it up. Try not putting the water in the ears.
- Clean the area of umbilical cord right after the birth with water
first, trying to take off the rest
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Mrs.Benjamine Oberoi,OFI interacts with SHGs |
of the blood in the umbilical cord, then
with antiseptic solution (povidone iodee). Do it again 12 hours later. Check
every day during the first week if this area is not painful or swollen.- Use a
belt for 1 or 2 days to protect it from flies- If the external temperature is
under 25 °C, dry the calf with tissues or straw.- About the colostrums=first milk:
- The udder of the cow must be clean; if it is not, clean it with water before
the calf drinks - The calf must drink in the first hour of his life
- The calf must drink
milk as often as he wants for the first 12 hours; if he doesn’t drink milk
every 4 hours, try to help him to drink- During the first week of his life,
don’t put the newborn next to the other calf or cow.- Every calf must be under
the shelter in the shadow, in front of the feeding bucket, with a bucket of
water next to him. - Two calves of around the same age share one bucket of
water
- Calves stay together until 12 months, after that the young female cow
can go with the other cows of the farm. Medical
evaluation. There are some signs you
can watch to see if the calf is in good health or not:
- Rectal temperature:
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Normal
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Calf above 3 months
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38.5-39.5°C
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Young cow or bull above 1 year
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38-39.5°C
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If the rectal temperature
is higher, it is usually an infection; if it is lower it can be severe
depression of
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Ariane,
Eléonore interacts with District Cooperative authorities |
the health of the calf.- The calf must be very lively, especially
when it goes to its mother. It likes to jump and run. - The calf must eat well.
- The area around eyes must be clean, without drops or dirt- The nose
must be clean without nasal secretions, or with few uncoloured nasal secretions-
It must not cough repeatedly- The dung must be solid with a dark brown colour.
It is not normal if it is liquid or light brown- The belly button must by dry
after a week. It is a non-painful area.
If one calf has some
abnormal signs about this particularly points, you must check if it is getting
worse, if it is the case, call the vet.
1.
Feeding
before and during weaning
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Before 2 weeks
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Until the 6th week
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During the 6th week
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During the 7th week
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During the 8th week
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Quantity of milk (kg/day)
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2
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2
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1.5
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1
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0.5
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Quantity of concentrate (kg/day)
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0.5
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0.75
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1
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1
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1
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Quantity of water
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At will
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At will
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At will
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At will
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At will
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Quantity of green and dry fodder
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At will
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At will
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At will
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At will
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At will
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- The estimated weight of the
calves at birth = 25kg
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Number of milk
meals:
- For new born (less than 12 hours): the calf stay with the mother, he
drinks as much as he wants and at least every 4 hours- For the calf, which is
less than a week: it must have 4 milk meals in a day- For the calf, which is
more than a week: two milk meals during the milking are enough-Number of
concentrate meals:- All the calves must have at least 2 concentrate meals.
2.
Feeding after
weaning and before 2 years
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Green fodder (kg)
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Dry Fodder (kg)
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Concentrate (kg)
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Water (L)
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Young cows
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At will
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At will
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1
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At will
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Young bull
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At will
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At will
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0
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At will
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For the female calves, it
must have two concentrate meals. This
feeding process must be tried and modified if you see the calves are too big or
too skinny. Young cows must be a little thin, a fat young cow will be difficult
to make pregnant, and can have some difficulties during the first calving” Govin