Care and Management of Neonatal Calves

Neonatal calves are newborns in their first few weeks of life, a period when they are extremely vulnerable and require attentive care. In Nepal, many calves struggle due to poor colostrum feeding, unhygienic housing, limited veterinary access, and low farmer awareness, which hinder their survival and growth. Providing proper early care builds strong immunity, prevents disease, and helps them grow into productive dairy animals and bulls that support better milk production and stronger farm livelihoods.

1. Immediate Care of Calves After Birth

Immediately after birth, if the calf needs to be separated from its mother, first remove any mucus or phlegm from its nose and mouth. Help the calf to stand, supporting its hind limbs if necessary, and keep its head slightly downward to allow any water in the lungs to drain out. Normally, the cow licks the calf soon after birth, which helps dry its body and stimulates breathing and blood circulation. If the cow does not lick the calf, or if the weather is cold, gently rub and dry the calf with a clean, dry cloth or gunny bag. If the calf has trouble breathing, give artificial respiration by gently pressing and releasing its chest with your hands. Soon after birth, the cow’s udder and teats should be washed thoroughly with a mild chlorine solution, lukewarm water and dried with a clean cloth. Lastly, tie the calf’s navel with a sterile thread about 2 to 5 cm from the body, cut the umbilical cord about 1 cm below the knot, and apply tincture of iodine, boric acid, or any suitable antibiotic to prevent infection.

2. Feeding management

The newborn calf must be allowed to suckle the first milk, called colostrum, within 1 to 2 hours, which is rich in nutrients and antibodies that strengthen immunity and protect against diseases. A healthy calf generally stands and nurses within one to two hours of birth; weak calves may need gentle assistance. Colostrum should be fed for the first three days at about 10% of the calf’s body weight per day. After this, the calf should be started on whole milk, preferably trained to drink from a clean pail or bucket. Milk must be warmed to body temperature (around 39°C) and fed twice daily; weak calves may be fed three times a day. Feeding utensils should always be clean and sterilized to prevent infection. The total milk intake should not exceed 10% of body weight or 5–6 litres per day, and milk feeding should continue for 6–10 weeks. Overfeeding must be avoided to prevent calf scours. After weaning, gradually give whole milk, skim milk, or reconstituted milk with calf starter feed, provide clean water from the second week, introduce small amounts of soft roughage from 14 days, add green fodder and hay by four months, and keep mineral blocks available to ensure balanced nutrition and healthy growth.

Table 1: Calf feeding schedule

3. Housing Management

During the first three months, each calf should be kept individually in a clean, dry, and comfortable pen for easy care and monitoring. After this period, they can be moved to group housing from about 6 to 8 weeks of age, depending on size and sex. However, calves should never be kept with adult animals, as this increases the risk of disease and injury. Each calf shed should have access to an open paddock or exercise yard so the calves can move freely and stay active. Pens should be well-ventilated, receive adequate sunlight, and have a non-slippery floor to prevent accidents. Ideally, calf pens should be located close to the cow shed for easy management. Each calf under three months of age should have 20–25 square feet of space for comfortable and healthy living.

4. Disease Management

Deworming should be done monthly for the first six months and then once every three months.  In the early days, Piparazine antipate may be given on the 3rd and 7th day after birth (1 g per 4 kg body weight), followed by a Selmate course on the 8th day. If internal worms persist, use Albendazole or Fenbendazole under veterinary advice. To prevent external parasites, maintain good farm hygiene and sanitation. Calves should be kept clean, dry, and warm to prevent fungal infections, pneumonia, and diarrhea, which are the main causes of early calf deaths. Bedding must be changed regularly, and weak calves should receive extra care. Under veterinary supervision, antibiotics like Aureomycin or Terramycin can improve appetite, growth, and prevent calf scours. Vaccinating calves against diseases like Black Quarter, FMD, Anthrax, Hemorrhagic Septicemia, and Brucella at the recommended ages keeps them healthy and disease-free. Always consult a veterinary doctor for the correct medicine and dosage to avoid side effects.

5. Other Important Calf Management Practices

In exotic and crossbred cattle, calves can be separated from their mothers after 2–3 days, but in local breeds and buffaloes, this is not practical as milk letdown occurs only when the calf suckles. In the weaning system, the calf is separated soon after receiving colostrum and raised separately. It should be trained to drink milk using a nipple or by hand feeding, and all feeding utensils must be cleaned and disinfected to maintain hygiene. Calves should be weighed weekly up to six months and monthly thereafter to track growth. Extra teats should be removed at 1–2 months of age, and male calves castrated at 8–10 weeks to make them easier to handle. Each calf must be identified with an ear tag at birth for proper record keeping. Dehorning within 7–10 days of birth prevents injuries to other calves and handlers. Following these simple practices ensures better growth, safety, and management of young calves, helping farmers raise healthy and productive animals.

Proper care and management of newborn calves immediate after the birth from timely colostrum feeding, and clean housing to disease prevention and good nutrition lays the foundation for strong, healthy growth. When farmers follow these practical steps, calves develop better immunity, gain weight faster, and face fewer health problems. Ultimately, good neonatal management helps build a productive herd and supports more profitable and sustainable dairy farming.

Suraj Gautam, Assistant Professor (Animal Science), Agriculture and Forestry University, College of Natural Resource Management, Khajura.