Animal Health
Proinnsias plan to buy 30 Angus and Hereford dairyX calves from the week of 20th February. He would prefer to buy them directly from farms where possible to reduce the risk of disease, but will source them through marts where necessary.
When buying calves, they should be assessed carefully to ensure that they are healthy and fit for transport. They should be at least 10 days of age, have firm and worn flat hooves, have a dry, shrivelled and withered umbilical cord, be alert with a clean damp nose and bright eyes, have supple skin and a shiny coat, have no signs of disease, injury or discharge and must not be lame.
When calves are being transported to the farm they should have 0.3-0.4 m2 per <50kg calf and travel in a clean, dry and disinfected trailer. The front of the trailer should be solid, there should be no sharp projections, the floor should be non-slip and the ramp angle should be less than 36.4%/20o00’.
A few days after arrival to the farm, calves will receive an intranasal vaccination to prevent respiratory disease caused by RSV & Pi3. This protocol has been put in place after discussion with Proinnsias’s vet after an outbreak of pneumonia occurred a number of years ago.