7 ways small changes in calf rearing can bring big gains

As a vet working with dairy and beef farms, one of the most common questions I am asked is: “Do we need to make a big change to improve our calf health?”

When performance is slipping, whether because of pneumonia outbreaks, poor growth, or frustrating losses, it is natural to want a game-changing solution: a new shed, a different milk powder, or a whole new staff approach.

See also: How to make routine dairy tasks easier with a calf kitchen

But do big changes always deliver big results? Or are small, targeted tweaks carried out consistently more effective in the long run?

A new calf shed with improved ventilation, drainage and space can dramatically reduce the incidence of respiratory disease.

Switching to a milk replacer with better digestibility and protein/fat content may support better growth and mean fewer digestive upsets.

Changing breeding policy to select for stronger, more vigorous calves or colostrum quality can bring long-term gains.

And staff changes – especially introducing someone who is engaged and passionate about youngstock – can improve consistency and welfare overnight. (Incidentally, this is probably one of the changes to a system where I witness the biggest effect.)

High risk

But these can be high-risk and costly changes. A new building is a significant investment and still relies on excellent day-to-day management to succeed.

A change in milk powder can backfire if mixing protocols or feeding temperatures are not spot-on.

Genetic changes take years to filter through and are not a fix for current problems. New staff need time, support and training.

Big changes can be part of the solution, but they rarely fix everything on their own.

In my experience, the most successful farms are the ones making proactive, consistent, well-informed tweaks to refine what they already do.

Georgina Doel © Wyvern Farm Vets

Attention to detail

Examples of small changes that can deliver big returns include:

1. Consistency of milk feeding

Feeding milk at consistent times with a decent period between feeds, a stable temperature (39-41C), checking the mixing concentration, and adjusting volumes all help improve appetite and growth.

Even small errors in temperature or concentration can lead to digestive issues and poor intakes.

2. Early access to water, starter feed and forage

There is a plethora of data to prove that rumen development depends on early access to water, starter feed and forage.

Calves should always have fresh water, even in the first week of life.

Offering palatable, fresh starter in small amounts daily (and clearing out leftovers) can double intake in some systems.

Raise forage racks to avoid contamination and consider fibre length to encourage better uptake.

3. Bedding and comfort

Calves lose most of their body heat through their legs, so dry, deep bedding is essential in colder weather.

Increasing bedding frequency or volume is one of the simplest, cheapest ways to improve health and reduce the burden of bugs.

© Tim Scrivener

4. Colostrum management

We all know the “4Qs”: quality, quantity, quickly, and cleanliness.

But even the best farms can benefit from a few tweaks and reminders, such as using a Brix refractometer to assess quality, feeding 3-4 litres within the first two hours, and using separate, clean equipment for newborn versus sick calves.

5. Observation and prompt action

Training staff to spot subtle signs of illness early – dull eyes, ears down, reduced appetite – and routinely taking temperatures can cut antibiotics use and reduce losses.

The earlier a sick calf is treated, the better the outcome.

6. Treatment adjustments

Simple changes to treatment regimes, such as adjusting doses by weight, or reviewing antibiotics protocols with the farm vet, can improve outcomes and reduce medicine use.

Introduction of routine screening or testing for viral pathogens can also guide improvements over time, as can reviewing or adding a vaccination protocol.

7. Cleaning and biosecurity

Marginal gains in hygiene, such as thoroughly drying pens between calves, using a better disinfectant for the calf housing, and improving the washing and drainage of feeding equipment, can significantly cut disease pressure.

These tweaks might each make a 1-2% improvement, but together they quickly add up.

They are also less disruptive, more affordable, and help staff become more engaged and aware of what calves need to thrive.

Routine

Whether you have top-of-the-range housing or calf pens made from hurdles and straw bales, routine is everything.

Calves do best with predictability: same person, same time, same temperature, same volume.

Feeding, bedding, moving pens –  it all benefits from structure.

Even the order in which calves are fed can affect their stress levels.

Review your routine: is it consistent day-to-day, especially at weekends? Are calves moved based on weight and age, or just when space becomes available? Standardising processes costs nothing, but can yield big benefits.

Balance

Small tweaks cannot fix a badly designed, under-ventilated shed.

But neither will a new shed save a system with poor standards of hygiene, inconsistent feeding, or inexperienced staff.

The farms that perform best combine solid infrastructure with excellent daily management and attention to detail.

As a vet, I would rather work with a farmer who is curious about what could be tweaked than one hoping for a silver bullet.

Big investments have their place and can be transformational, but only when paired with consistency, observation, and a willingness to keep improving.

Small adjustments can boost confidence in the rearing process, making larger investments feel like the natural next step.

Georgina Doel is a farm vet based at Wyvern Farm Vets in Frome, Somerset. She specialises in youngstock health and productivity, working closely with beef and dairy producers to fine-tune calf-rearing systems and improve long-term performance