How are calves kept at the Loshnitsa dairy farm? The Prime Minister inspected the farm.

January 21, Borisov District. Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchin's schedule today includes a visit to the Loshnitsa dairy farm near Borysov. The head of government inspected the farm's calf care, BelTA reports.

The farm is designed to accommodate 800 dairy cows. The average daily milk yield per cow is 25 liters. The farm produces 17 to 17.5 tons of milk daily, exclusively of extra-virgin grade. Turchin first visited the dairy farm's health center. After calving, postpartum treatment, and drying, the calves are sent here to individual pens or boxes. Calves are kept in individual boxes for 2 to 2.5 months, depending on their growth rate and the completion of all anti-epidemic measures, such as vaccinations and preventative treatments. They remain here for 3 to 7 months, depending on their physiological condition. The calves are then moved to individual pens to acclimate and gradually transition to whole milk. "Feeding calves three times a day is standard. Now, given the low temperatures, we're giving an additional liter of milk per calf, switching to four feedings a day," explained Stanislav Matveyev, chief veterinarian at the Bolshie Novosyolki branch.

The facility currently houses approximately 360 calves, 56 of which are in individual pens.
"We house our calves in both individual and group cages. Judging by the size of our facility, group housing is more cost-effective. Calves are an epizootic reservoir: they rub against each other, exchanging biological material, which increases their resistance and creates a microbial environment. In groups, they become stronger. We keep them in groups for 3-3.5 months, until they reach a balanced physiological state, height, and body weight, just like human children : some are born smaller, some larger, but in a group, they gain weight. After all vaccinations and treatments are completed, we breed them: the bulls go to a cattle fattening complex , and the heifers are raised," the veterinarian explained.

The calves are vaccinated several times, including against ringworm, a complex of viruses, and other immunizations. According to Alexander Turchin, the conditions for raising young cattle are more than satisfactory.
Regarding keeping the calves in such cold weather, the most important things for them are dry bedding and the absence of drafts, noted Stanislav Matveyev. "Drafts are their main enemy. They need to be kept dry, plus they need warm, portioned water. The calves tolerate everything well," he assured us. Alexander Kuretsky,
director of the Bolshie Novosyolki branch, added that the health center was built two years ago, after the main complex. The construction cost was approximately 200,000 Belarusian rubles.

"When properly maintained, the temperature regime for young animals isn't as important as the absence of drafts," he noted. "The average daily weight gain on the farm is over 750 grams per calf. This speaks to the correctness of the rearing process."

The most important know-how these days is the availability of specialists, and most importantly, qualified calf raisers and good milkmaids, the director believes. "This is the most important thing in any agricultural enterprise. Personnel are everything," he emphasized.
The prime minister also saw dairy cows being kept at the complex. He noted the excellent condition of the herd, the high level of work organization, and its compliance with modern standards. Photo by Sergey Sheleg