Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on June 26 2009 11:47
Calf huts
- Excellent facility to minimize contact between calves.
- Important to clean and disinfect huts between calves.
- Some types of huts do not ventilate well in the summer.
- Important to keep bedding clean and dry.
- Difficult to feed and manage calves in winter months.
Cold barn
- Naturally ventilated with curtains and ridges. Barns over 40 ft long need a ridge.
- Recommend individual pens.
- Recommend solid, plastic paneling between calves.
- Fill barn within 2 weeks. All-in-all-out to allow proper cleaning.
- Adequate bedding is essential. Keep bedding clean and dry.
- 10% of smaller calves may need calf jackets and sick calves may need heat lamps.
Warm Barn
- Improper ventilation is the number one mistake. This barn must have air movement at all times.
- Relative humidity needs to be less than 60%.
- Evaluate with temperature and humidity loggers.
- High humidity leads to pneumonia problems.
- Air movement
- Pens may restrict airflow. Evaluate airflow at calf level.
- Inlet and outlet location is key to how air moves through a building.
- Control drafts – air needs to be properly mixed and warmed to prevent chilling of calves.
- Minimum air speed of 15 cfm/animal, even in the winter.
- Hot weather air speed minimum of 100 cfm/animal.