Enriching Survival of Calves: An Analysis on Managerial Procedures in Milking Farms
Abstract
The existence of calves is critical to the dairy sector's entire success and long-term viability of milk production. In an effort to improve the survival and welfare of calves, this investigation looks at and evaluates the administrative procedures used in Indian milking farms. In order to analyze the calf death and management strategies that the farmers are using, 30 dairy cultivators from large (G1), medium (G2) and small (G3) dairy farms were chosen for the 90 dairy farms in India that were the subject of the current analysis. The findings showed that parasite load was the cause of the greatest amount of calf death (72.22%), which was attributed to gastroenteritis. In contrast to female calves (77.05%), male calves had a higher captured death rate (83.38%). In comparison with G2 (81.19%) and G1 (83.34%), the calf death rate (67.21%) was smaller among G3 farms. Apart from the three farmers of G3 farms, no industrial dairy farmer participated in the cleaning of the naval chord. A large percentage of dairy producers gave their calves milk (78.87%) prior to and after the dam was milked, yet they provided colostrums (73.32%) after the placenta were released, which is not very healthy for newborn calves. Merely 15.54% of farmers had routinely dewormed their calves. Therefore, it was determined that the farmers thought it was unfeasible to raise calves and instead decided to buy milch buffaloes as a substitute.
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