Spring Calf Jobs: Tagging, Disbudding, Castrating and Vaccinating
Calving’s done, the cows are on good grass, and the calves are starting to put some size on. That makes November the time to knock off the calf jobs: tagging, disbudding, castrating and vaccinating. Get the timing right and it’s a quick, low-stress morning in the yards. Leave it too long and every job gets harder, for you and for the calves.
Here’s what’s on our list, plus the rules worth knowing before you start.
NAIT tagging
Every calf needs a NAIT-approved RFID tag within 180 days of birth, or before it leaves the farm, whichever comes first. Once it’s tagged, you then have seven days to register it in NAIT, or less if it’s moving off farm sooner.
- Write the tag numbers down as you go. It makes registering much easier, and helps if a tag goes missing later.
- Put the tag in the middle of the ear, between the veins, and follow the tag maker’s instructions. A well-placed tag is far less likely to get ripped out.
- If an app or information provider registers your calves for you, log into NAIT and check they’ve actually come through.
Disbudding
Disbudding a young calf is much easier on everyone than dehorning a grown animal later. The NZ Veterinary Association recommends doing it between two and six weeks of age with a cautery iron, and doesn’t recommend caustic paste. Once the horn bud attaches to the skull, from around eight weeks, you’re into dehorning.
Since October 2019 it’s been a legal requirement to use local anaesthetic when disbudding or dehorning cattle of any age. The local has to be authorised by a vet. If you want to do your own, talk to your vet about training and supply. If you use a contractor, make sure they’re doing it too. Ask your vet about longer-lasting pain relief as well, because the local only lasts about an hour.
Keep an eye on the disbud sites for a week or two afterwards for any sign of infection or flies.
Castration
Rubber rings are the most common method on beef farms and lifestyle blocks. Beef + Lamb NZ’s guidance is:
- Ring calves between one and four weeks of age
- Don’t use rubber rings after four months of age
- Pain relief must be used for castration over six months of age
- High-tension bands need pain relief at any age
Use the right size ring, and check it sits above both testicles and below the teats before you let it go. If you’ve missed the window for rings, talk to your vet about the best option.
Vaccinating
Clostridial diseases like tetanus and blackleg live in the soil, and wounds from rings and disbudding give them a way in. A 5-in-1 vaccine is cheap insurance: two doses four to six weeks apart, then a yearly booster.
If your cows didn’t get a booster before calving, their calves get less protection through colostrum, so ask your vet whether to start earlier. It’s also worth asking about lepto and anything else common in your district. An easy approach is to give the first dose at marking and book the second for your next yarding.
Get set up before you start
Doing all the jobs in one yarding means less stress on the stock and less time for you. Before the first calf comes in:
- Lay out everything you need: tags and applicator, rings and applicator, vaccine kept cool, vaccinator, disbudding gear and local anaesthetic, and something to record tag numbers
- Draft the calves off the cows into a small pen, keeping the cows close so they can mother up straight after
- Start early in the day while it’s cool
- Do all of each calf’s jobs in one go, so each calf is only handled once
Stop wrestling calves
The hardest part of calf jobs is usually holding the calf still. Pinning a calf that’s already pushing 100kg against a rail is hard on your back, and it makes it harder to get a tag in the right spot or place the local properly.
Our Calf Headbail is built for exactly this job. It holds calves securely for tagging and disbudding, and the removable chin cradle stops the head moving around, which is safer for both you and the calf. It opens and closes with one hand, so you can work on your own.
It mounts on steel or wooden yards, comes with installation instructions and a fitting kit including gudgeons and latch, and can be switched between left- and right-hand operation. Like all our gear, it’s made in our Levin workshop and fully hot-dip galvanised.
The Calf Headbail is $680. Check it out here: https://kiwicattleyards.co.nz/products/calf-headbail
After the jobs
- Mother up and check every calf has found its mum
- Check ring and disbud sites over the next couple of weeks
- Register the tags in NAIT within seven days
- Put the second vaccine dose in the diary
A bit of prep turns calf marking from a scramble into a tidy morning’s work. Get it done while they’re young and you’ll be glad you did when they’re bigger.