Padraig French joins Emma-Louise Coffey to measure the welfare of calves on Irish Dairy Farms.

Padraig explains that calf mortality at birth and at one month old is a key metric to measure calf welfare. Comparing the performance in Ireland over the last 10 years, calf mortality has fallen on farms, despite an additional 300,000 calves being born annually. 

Mortality at birth declined from 1.95% to 1.30% and mortality at 28 days declined from 3.71% to 3.20% comparing 2011 with 2019 figures. 

Additionally, Padraig explained that the births were equal across males and female calves. Total calf in the 1st month of life at 4.5% in Ireland is half that of our international counterparts.

Furthermore, he briefly reviews a trial carried out by researchers John Barry and Emer Kennedy. They measured the level of Immunoglobulin levels in the blood of calves which indicates whether a calf received adequate colostrum. Padraig explains that both male and female calves received adequate colostrum.

Padraig also encourages farmers to take a look at their facilities and available labour to ensure dairy farmers continue to maintain a high calf welfare status within their own herd.

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 https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/