Calf rearing is often considered a dreary job done out of necessity, instead of a financial investment for the future. It should be given the importance it deserves.

We all know it's crucial to give our calves the best possible start to ensure they are set up for a lengthy and productive life. By rearing your calves well, you are setting the foundations for successful and profitable milking cows.

The benefits of having hay and/or meal available as early as possible in a young calf's life are well-documented. Feeding calves hay and/or meal right from the start promotes rumen development as early as possible.

Rumen development is a critical part of successful calf rearing. Calves need to be able to gradually adapt to a pasture-based diet through early feed intake. Rumen growth will depend on having the right feed and feeding strategy in place - if you get this right, then development will take place at a faster rate and your calves will achieve optimum growth.

Calves are your most important group of stock on the farm in terms of future production and profit potential so they should take priority, especially over the summer months when pasture growth and quality can be limited. Supplementary feed is often necessary to maintain growth rates and set your calves up well going into autumn. If calves are underweight, this can impact fertility during first mating. And if an underweight calf does get pregnant, milk production is often compromised for the animal's growth.

Our hanging feeders can be used in the shed or paddock and make it easy for calves to have supplementary feed available right from day one so they start rumen development as early as possible. The addition of an optional meal bin adds versatility, allowing you to feed both hay and meal as required.

Once the animals are moving around the farm, it is often difficult to continue to provide for them in a user-friendly, convenient way so Wilco have two and three-wheeled mobile hay racks (also with optional meal bins) sized from one bale to fix bale capacity. All come with rear tow hitches so the milk feeder can be easily towed behind the hay feeder if required.

There are some fantastic resources available online which discuss best practice calf rearing in detail, particularly on the DairyNZ and NRM websites. Take a look and refresh your knowledge to ensure you are doing all you can to set your calves up for healthy and productive lives.

Calf rearing can be an enjoyable task if the right food is available for the animals and the right equipment used by the people tasked with this important job. Give us a call today to find out how our feeders can help you save time, minimise feed wastage and help rear healthy and productive calves.