The first weeks determine how a calf develops, and during those weeks you keep using different equipment. This page has everything for rearing calves: from the first colostrum to weaning, from feeding bucket to calf jacket. Below you can read what to have ready at each stage.
What to have ready at each stage
| Stage | Equipment in this range |
|---|---|
| Straight after birth | Colostrum powder, colostrum bags with tube (Antahi Trusti, ColostroStartSET), calf bottle, resuscitation pump |
| Milk-feeding period | Calf buckets with teat, floating teats, Shoof feeders, milk warmer, thermometer, whisk |
| Cold or changeable weather | Calf Coat calf jackets (70 and 80 cm), Bodyguard summer jacket |
| Around weaning | Calf pellet bottle, electrolyte mix, calf boluses as a complementary feed |
| Disbudding | Express gas disbudders, 17 mm electric disbudding iron, spare tips |
Feeding equipment is separate in calf milk and feeding buckets; jackets and housing in calf jackets and hutches. If you are only looking for a single teat or bucket, the selection of feeding buckets and teats is quicker; for a jacket, go to calf jackets.
Bucket, bottle or feeder: how to choose
A bottle with teat gives you the best view of how much a calf drinks and is handy in the first days. A bucket with teat saves work as soon as you feed several calves at once; choose a flat side or a mounting plate if you hang the bucket on a gate or pen. The Shoof feeders have a soft Big Softy teat and come in 2.5 and 4 litres. With teats, pay attention to the colour or firmness: a softer teat is easier to drink from, a firmer one slows down a greedy drinker.
Hygiene and health in the calf shed
Rinse buckets and teats after every feed and replace teats that tear. A calf brush helps to get rims and threads clean. Calf boluses, electrolytes and dextrose preparations are complementary feeds; if a calf has diarrhoea or a cough, call in your vet. Disbudding is subject to legal rules in many countries: ask your vet about the permitted age and anaesthesia before using a disbudder.
More in everything for cattle: equipment for calving itself and boluses and minerals for the cow.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly must a calf get colostrum?
As soon as possible after birth, because the calf's ability to absorb antibodies declines rapidly in the first hours. With a colostrum bag or tube, you can still give colostrum to a calf that does not drink by itself.
Which milk warmer suits my number of calves?
The Kerbl Easy Heat and Super Heat have 2300 watts and are designed to warm larger quantities of milk; the MTH 160 is a lighter version. Always check the temperature with a thermometer.
Can I disbud calves myself?
Legal rules on age and pain relief apply. Check with your vet what is permitted for your farm in your country before buying a disbudder.