Managing arrival of purchased calves

Meat & Livestock Australia October 2, 2024

Have your calf facilities ready before the calves arrive, so they can be unloaded quickly and can start settling into their new environment right away.

Upon arrival:

Move calves into clean and appropriate shelter and provide access to water, as soon as feasible.
Ideally, move calves directly into their pens and keep them with the same group they will remain with during the rearing period.
It is recommended to avoid mixing calves of different age groups.
Handle calves gently and calmly to minimise stress.
Any animal that becomes sick or injured during a journey must receive appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
After resting for two to three hours, it is recommended that calves should be given two litres of electrolytes.

Providing electrolytes on arrival During transport, calves commonly lose weight due to lack of food and water, which can result in dehydration, electrolyte loss and low blood sugar. To counteract this, it is recommended that calves should be given two litres of electrolytes after resting for two to three hours.

Once the calves have settled (ideally in line with natural morning or evening feeding times), recommence milk feeding.
Allow calves to rest after the journey before any further handling or husbandry procedures.
Check the NLIS ear tags and NVDs of all incoming calves.
- Tip: If using an automatic milk feeder, ensure the white NLIS button is on the offside (right) so the tag reader can scan successfully.
Upload the movement records to the NLIS database within 48 hours, especially if the calves were purchased privately or via an online auction.
Conduct health checks and once calves have had the opportunity to rest, administer vaccines as per the farm’s animal health management plan.
Quarantine new arrivals for as long as feasible (ideally 7-21 days) and continue to monitor them daily for signs of disease or poor health.
Designate trained staff to closely monitor the calves during the first few days, particularly tracking feed and water intake.
Keep detailed records of any calf illnesses (and deaths) to identify potential issues with the source farms.

Observe calf behavior Watch calves closely after they arrive to ensure they are settling in well. Are they drinking, walking and lying down comfortably?