New Seasons Babies....

First Baby Mob of replacement Heifers outside in their paddock with North facing shelter at the back of the paddock. We have been incredibly lucky this year with a milder winter and temperatures that havent dropped as low as they have in previous seasons. These calves nibble on the grass and get a feeder full to the brim to help themselves to throughout the day.

I also use raw honey regularly in the milk when they are recently born which helps with building healthy gut bacteria. The enzymes in the honey help break down complex carbohydrates into usable energy so it can also help the calf grow and develop. I add honey to the calf milk on colder, wetter days and this gives them extra energy and also provides a natural source of antibiotics if their body needs it, they will utalize it.

Calves are born with 4 stomach compartments like adult cows, but when they are newly born just one stomach the abomasum functions. The other three stomachs (rumen, reticulum and omasum) start to develop immediately after birth and while calves will nibble on grass as young as 4 days old. They are unable to process it as a significant food source untill a few weeks old.

Here at Windvale Farm we consider it very important to try and replicate what Nature does best so the calves are fed an adlib amount of 14 litres of Milk all produced on our farm and fed warm to them each day. They also have good quality pasture available and room to run and move freely. After a couple of weeks we also provide high quality Lucerene balage for them as an additional higher source of protien to help them grow into fit strong and healthy animals.