Parc y Morfa Farms Ltd (Trebover) Project Introduction: Calf decision tree and new calf housing design

Site: Parc y Morfa Farms Ltd (Trebover), Fishguard

Technical Officer: Simon Pitt

Project Title: Calf decision tree and new calf housing design

A core element of successful livestock farming is the rearing and health of youngstock. Poorly reared, unhealthy youngstock cost greatly in terms of poor future production, increased veterinary costs and higher mortality rates, as well as increasing the farm’s carbon footprint.

The Parc y Morfa calf project will look to develop a calf ‘decision tree’. This will help farmers through setting out a step-by-step process for when calf health isn’t right and isn’t easy to identify the cause. 

The project will explore a range of monitoring techniques for detecting illness early, as well as key management protocols. The decision tree will also touch on housing requirements and ideas of what might be needed if a new build is being considered. The decision tree will work from the farmer’s point of view and work with details they should have to hand. The aim is to aid farmers at the beginning of a disease breakdown to help point them in the correct direction. There will be general good husbandry and hygiene protocols in place at all times and then the decision tree will steer the farmer through to some more disease specific factsheets and hints and tips. It will also guide the farmer of when to involve the vet and will provide some ideas of what tests they can do and what products might help. 

The project will look to raise awareness of both cost implications from poor health and increased health care costs on lifetime performance of dairy heifers and crossbred calves in terms of effects on carcass quality and value.