11 April 2023

Moving from the shed to the field with dairy-beef calves

With early spring born calves now weaned on many farms, the next port of call is transitioning these animals to the outdoor environment.

When calves underperform during their first season at pasture, it makes it difficult to hit the key performance indicators – irrespective of system – further down the line. Failing to hit an average daily gain target of 0.7-0.8kg/day results in delayed slaughter, the production of lighter carcasses and/or the introduction of additional concentrates to try and recover the loss in performance recorded over the first grazing season. Therefore, ensuring calves perform to their optimum over the first 12 weeks of life is important.

Transitioning to the outdoors

The majority of calf-to-beef producers opt to wean their calves prior to moving them from the calf shed to the field. During this period, calves may suffer a post-weaning growth check and subsequently disease outbreak as a result of: the low intake of dry feed up until weaning; the high intake of low-energy, bulky forages; or stress when feeds are changed.

Feeding concentrates before, during and after weaning should limit the level of growth check experienced. Calves should be offered concentrates (1-2kg/day) for 4-6 weeks prior to turnout. If grassland management is poor, this period will need to be extended.

Concentrate supplementation provides the calf with adequate time to become accustomed to grazing before an all-grass diet is offered. An animal health protocol is recommended to reduce the possibility of disease onset. RSV, PI3, Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica and IBR are common causes of respiratory diseases in Ireland.

When and where to turnout calves?

• Only correctly weaned and healthy calves should be turned out to pasture;
• Ensure all calves are consuming concentrates prior to turnout;
• A well-sheltered paddock should be targeted;
• Avoid turning calves out in unfavourable weather conditions – avoid extremes of warm, wet or cold;
• Alternate the fields in which calves are turned out each year to avoid the build-up of pathogens and diseases;
• Ensure calves always have a clean, fresh source of water at all times;
• Target a pre-grazing cover of <1,000kg DM/ha to encourage grazing at turnout.

Grassland management

Excellent grassland management is essential to achieve the desired level of performance from calves over the first 12 weeks following turnout. Calves can be selective grazers and providing quality grass must be a priority. Don’t force calves to graze out paddocks like older stock. Calves should be offered fresh grass every 3-4 days; don’t leave calves in the one paddock for long periods of time.

When settled or when grass is a large percentage of the diet, the ideal pre-grazing grass covers for calves are 1,000-1,400kg DM/ha. When covers get beyond this point, target for bales.

Monitoring performance

Weighing of cattle is critical and should be carried out a minimum of three times a year to determine if cattle are hitting weight gain targets. Animals should be weighed at turnout, mid-season and again at housing. Dairy-beef calves are typically turned out to grass at approximately 85-100kg. Completing a mid-season weighing will provide you with information to see if calves have reached the desired weight gain targets over the first 12 weeks at pasture.

Animal health

To gain 0.7-0.8kg/day, calves must remain healthy. When a calf suffers a health set back, its feed intake and daily weight gain will be affected. If calves are coughing or an illness is suspected, seek veterinary advice and identify the cause of the problem through nasal swabs, blood tests or faecal samples. When a vaccination protocol (pneumonia, IBR or clostridial diseases) is being implemented, ensure that the programme is up to date and calves have received their booster shots prior to turnout.

This article was adapted from the DairyBeef 500 factsheet on ‘The first 12 weeks at grass for DairyBeef calves’. To access the full document, which includes a guide on the effects, symptoms and treatment options for gut worm, lungworm and coccidial infections, click here.

For more information on the DairyBeef 500 Campaign, click here.