Breeding of dairy cattle. Maternity ward. Calving. Maintenance and feeding of calves. OOO SP Donskoe.

pionerprodukt.by continues to publish a series of videos from AgroExpedition in the Volgograd region. In this video, we will see how the maternity ward is arranged at the flagship of the dairy production in the Volgograd region, OOO SP Donskoy. We will also learn how the calves are kept and fed at this enterprise.
All cows during the dry period are kept in a special maternity ward and, at the first signs of calving, are transferred to a separate box, where calving takes place. Also in the maternity ward it is possible to keep first-calf heifers separately from cows.
Immediately in the maternity ward there is a machine for processing hooves. As a rule, this procedure is carried out three times a year (if necessary - four). Also, three times a week, the entire livestock is driven through a hoof bath in order to prevent hoof diseases.
After calving, the calf is placed in a separate individual house equipped with red heat lamps. After the first drink, if he is doing well, he is transferred to the calf barn. To ensure constant monitoring of the condition of pregnant cows, a cattleman, a veterinarian and a livestock specialist are in the maternity ward around the clock.
The farm has a small percentage of heavy calving, of the total number it is about one percent.
For calves under the age of 3 months there is a separate building - a calf barn. The nutrition of calves at this age occurs only at the expense of milk, without the addition of milk replacer plus mixed feed with the addition of corn.
Due to the hot climate in the summer, the farm has been using small round mesh cages instead of classic calf houses for about ten years, which avoid heat and are also convenient for sanitization. On each cage there are cards with data about the calf, its nutrition and watering program, as well as data on vaccination.
After the calves grow up, the bulls are transferred to another housing for fattening.