To make life more bearable for calves in high temperatures and/or high humidity, we would like to give you some practical tips:
Check the (teat)buckets/feeding and water bowls regularly. Calves drink more than usual in hot weather. Remove the teatbuckets fairly quickly after milk feeding for reasons of hygiene and animal health.
-Choose to feed calves a little less in warm weather. The feed intake of calves drops to about 70%. If the farm feeds in the afternoon, move it to the evening. This allows calves to rest during the hottest hours. In addition, this ensures that calves can continue to use their energy for growth.
-Make sure the calves have plenty of clean straw. Especially with the heat, the calf pen becomes a meeting place for bacteria and flies, especially if the pen is not clean and dry. Clean out the bedding, if necessary, an extra time, preferably at the beginning or end of the day.
-When moving animals is really necessary, do it early in the morning. This is because the stress of a move makes a calf's body temperature rise.
-CalfOTel® calf pens are made of UP polyester that has a double-coated fibre glass white top layer. This top layer reflects the sun. This results in much less heating of the hutch, compared to hutches made of other materials.
