Supermarket boost for calf rearing

Asda has taken further steps to boost calf potential, with discounts made on colostrum and milk powder as well as ear tags.

As part of its CalfLink initiative, Asda is offers all of its DairyLink and Beef Link farmers the chance to buy powdered calf colostrum at just £4.50 a sachet. They can also continue to get a 10% reduction on milk powder and supplements. This means farmers can get calves off to the best possible start in life.

Ensuring calves get sufficient immunoglobulin via colostrum within six hours of being born is paramount to survival, says Asda agricultural manager Pearce Hughes. “With such a great deal available we are encouraging all our farmers to use the colostrum supplement for bull calves as well as heifers. This will help them get their stock of to a flying start before arriving at our specialist dairy bull rearing units,” he says.

One of DairyLink’s suppliers, Geoff Spence, says a powder to supplement a heifer’s first milk makes real sense. “With high yielding cows it is often hard to get enough colostrum in to newborn calves. I began using supplementary milk powder six weeks ago and have been impressed from the initial results,” he says.

“One sachet per calf is enough to get them started. This, combined with the first milk from the mother, gives calves an immediate boost after birth and means their immune system is fully charged against the disease. There also appears to be a positive effect on body condition and growth rate,” says Mr Spence.