Transformula performs at Penberry Farm

Calving 540 cows in seven and a half weeks requires stamina, good organisational skills and a calf rearing system that delivers on hygiene, husbandry and housing.

Sean and Eileen Jamieson and their son, Stuart, produce milk from a herd of spring calving British Friesian crosses at Penberry Farm, St Davids.

Cow longevity is a strong feature in the herd with some of the cows currently milking born 12 years ago.

Future proofing the herd starts as soon as calves are born with attention to detail given to good hygiene, husbandry and housing at every stage.

Calves are born on an offlying site and moved to Penberry after they’ve had their second feed of colostrum so communication between everyone involved in that process is key

A paper record that details feeding, vaccination and any health interventions follows every calf from birth to weaning.

The team of calf rearers, led by Eileen, sees the payback from keeping the pens and feeding equipment scrupulously clean.

By removing the threat of health issues and the labour requirement associated with sickness, more time can be spent helping the calves to grow and develop.

Beef and dairy replacements are reared in separate sheds, in deep-bedded straw pens of 14.

To minimise the threat of disease spread, each pen is dedicated to one group right through to turnout, which is at 10-12 weeks depending on weather conditions.

By producing strong and healthy calves, the Jamiesons have no shortage of buyers for their beef animals.

Good nutrition is key, with a system that results in active and healthy calves that don’t experience growth checks.

Every calf receives three litres of colostrum as soon as possible after birth and a second feed of three litres.

Bonanza Calf Nutrition’s transition calf milk replacer, Transformula, is then introduced to help develop the digestive system.

Trials have shown that feeding transition milk to young calves vastly improves their digestive system’s ability to digest milk.

Transition milk is classed as the first six milkings post-colostrum, containing three quarters the number of antibodies of colostrum together with non-nutritive factors that set up a calf’s gut for long term performance.

Transformula has been developed by Bonanza Calf Nutrition as the first transition milk replacer on the market; it has done this by identifying the key elements of transition milk.

Transformula is made with pasteurised and low heat-treated protein ingredients and a selection of short chain fatty acids; these ingredients ensure the calf can utilise the energy and protein within the product.

Oligosaccharides, found in cow transition milk, are unique to Transformula.

They act as a prebiotic for beneficial bacteria and aid in preventing pathogens binding to the lining of the gut; these can often present themselves as scour in the young calf. They also promote cell proliferation, therefore reducing the time taken for closure of the porous gut.

Transformula also contains ultra high levels of plants extracts, probiotics, and egg proteins to protect the calf against E. coli, rotavirus, and cryptosporidium.

Using Transformula limits the risk of disease spread in the Jamiesons’ herd and the pay back of their investment is fewer calf treatments and stronger calves at two weeks old, resulting in a more uniform batch of calves.

The Jamiesons introduce CCF Breathe Easy starter feed in small amounts from birth and provide fresh, clean water from day one.

An intranasal pneumonia vaccine is given in the first week and calves are also vaccinated for blackleg.

When calves are 10 days old Transformula is replaced with Shine Original, fed twice a day until they are four weeks old when a once a day feeding system is introduced.

This calf milk replacer (CMR) is made with low heat treated skim and buttermilk.

Mollie Phipps, of Bonanza Calf Nutrition, which manufactures Shine Original and supports the Jamiesons with their calf feeding programme, says the “secret’’ of Original is in the contents of the bag, not on the label.

This comes from combination of milk ingredients that help calves get maximum levels of utilisable amino acids, she says.

“Original promotes the development of the digestive system by increasing dry feed intake and total dry matter (DM) intake,’’ says Mollie.

This has a positive effect on the calf’s immune system, allowing calves to be weaned with good rumen and digestive tract development.

It means that the calves at Penberry Farm have virtually no health issues before, during and after weaning.

Eileen says it is one of the reasons why cows in the herd perform – and last.

Her calves are weaned when they are eating at least 1.25-1.5kg/head/day of starter feed, when they are approximately eight weeks old, by which time they have doubled their birthweight.

They are then turned out to grass to achieve the growth targets needed to calve at two years old.

Calves are the next generation and that’s why there is so much attention to detail given at the rearing stage, says Eileen.

“I often say it’s the hardest job on the farm,’’ she says.

“When you are breeding your replacements you have got to get it right because those are your future herd, if you cock the rearing up you’ve had it.’’