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Calves are the cornerstone of every successful dairy operation. Creating an optimal environment for their growth is essential to ensuring their health and future productivity. Environmental factors like airflow, insulation, drainage and lighting play a crucial role in supporting calf development and maximising future milk production. With 40 years of experience, Galebreaker is here to advise and support your farming business.
Optimised calf housing design
Well-designed calf housing is essential for promoting health and productivity – the Galebreaker CalfHub is an optimised calf housing system which was tested during a two-year trial undertaken with SRUC, and the Vance family. The CEVEC project demonstrated that an ideal calf environment can deliver these results:
- Higher growth rates (150-250g per day)
- Improved respiratory health & lung scores
- Significant reduction in labour through system automation and monitoring (75% saving in daily labour time)
- Greater calf activity indicating improved welfare (25% increase in activity)
- Projected on-farm carbon reductions through improved calf/cow health and productivity – saving around 5% in carbon emissions.
Read more about the Galebreaker CalfHub by downloading our brochure here.
Signs of poor calf ventilation
Poor ventilation often manifests as ammonia odours, condensation, and the congregation of calves in specific areas to avoid drafts or dampness. These signs indicate that the building needs improvement. Further signs include cobwebs, rusting purlins, fixings and drip marks indicating damp stagnant conditions. One practical recommendation for assessing the effectiveness of housing ventilation is using a smoke test which shows how air is circulating within a building and where problems are coming from. This video explains what to expect during a smoke assessment.
Galebreaker recommends replacing Yorkshire Boarding, space boarding or metal cladding with a product that utilises Galebreaker mesh – this material is available in a range of products; all of which promote good airflow but minimise draughts and rain penetration. To enhance air quality further, a positive pressure tube ventilation system, such as VentTube Fresh can significantly improve air flow. An advisory visit from one of the Animal Welfare Team will provide you with a series of steps you can take to improve your calf housing.
Upgrading existing calf housing
Not every farming operation has the space or budget to build a new calf shed, but there are effective ways to enhance existing buildings. Start by assessing your shed’s ventilation. Poor ventilation can lead to unhealthy environments for your calves, but the good news is that affordable solutions are available.
Where ventilation is too great within the building creating draughts and potentially causing cold stress on calves, microclimates can be created. For instance, using straw bales to form shelters within pens, along with solid lower walls about 1.5-2 meters high, can significantly reduce drafts. Additionally, replacing Space Boarding with wind-reducing materials like Galebreaker Bayscreen can help maintain a more stable environment without a major investment.
Where lack of ventilation is an issue, introducing a tube ventilation system such as VentTube Fresh can help introduce fresh air into a shed, one farmer, Dan comments ‘Although we were cynical at first, it’s changed this shed from having to be pulled down to producing our best animals.” Not all housing upgrades need to be expensive, and improvements in calf health such as pneumonia outbreaks can provide a quick return on investment. Talk to our experienced team.
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