Basics of livestock farming

Calf care matters in livestock farming: a poorly fed calf will not become productive even if born to a pedigree cow. Methods: suckling (the calf grows by suckling the cow, mostly on pasture, cheap), suckling-milking (for the first 5–6 days it stays with its mother and drinks colostrum, then is allowed to suckle before and after milking) and separate rearing (taken from its mother at birth and kept in a clean, dry calf house). Colostrum has quickly digested protein, mineral salts and protective substances; in the first 10–15 days it is given four times a day, and after about 20 days calves are moved to the common calf house. At 10–12 days soft hay is offered, from 20 days oat groats, at two months washed beet and carrot, at 3–4 months silage gradually. Heifers for a gain of 600–700 g a day get 2.5–4 kg hay, 2 kg straw, 10–15 kg silage and 1.5–2 kg concentrated feed. In fattening, beef-type calves suckle their mothers up to 7–8 months, may gain 900–1000 g a day on pasture, and the process has three periods: cheap feed at the start and middle, more concentrates at the end. A calf’s mother may charge to protect it: children do not approach calves and cows without adults.