AN INVESTIGATION OF NEONATAL CALF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN KERALA

A survey was conducted in 350 selected dairy farms on neonatal and early calf feeding and health management strategies followed by dairy farmers in five different agro-climatic zones of Kerala through observations, discussions, interviews and well-designed questionnaire.The selected farms were categorised into small (1-2 cows), medium (3-10 cows) and large (more than 10 cows).In calf management, 94.3 per cent farms followed natural suckling.Disinfecting the umbilicus of newborn calves was done in 63.7 per cent farms.Colostrum feeding within one hour after calving was practiced by 82.6 per cent farmers but they were unaware of the quantity and quality of colostrum consumed by the calf.Only 18 per cent of the farmers fed their calves with calf starter up to three months of age while 56.57per cent fed the calves with adult cattle feed.Birth weight was assessed by 18 per cent farmers only.Eighty-eight per cent of farmers allowed natural suckling.While 52.29 per cent farmers gave one quarter of udder without milking, 19.4 per cent fed milk at the rate of one tenth of body weight.Milk was fed twice a day by 44.29 per cent farms.Majority of farmers (56.57%) fed concentrates or pellets for adult cow to calves whereas 31.14 per cent fed calf starter to calves.Drinking water was provided twice daily by 51.14 per cent of farmers.One third of farmers gave water to calves only after a month.Majority of farmers (53.14%) weaned calves when they were capable of eating 0.75-1 kg concentrate whereas 29.71 per cent weaned calves when they attained 3 months of age.The survey highlighted the need for educating farmers about colostrum feeding and feeding of calf starter.