Calf Rearing - Agriculture

Duration: 100 hours

Method of Learning: Online, CD-ROM or correspondence (paper based)

Start: Anytime! And from anywhere in the world!

Qualification: Certificate

Course Structure

There are 7 lessons as follows:

1. Calving & Culling
2. Calving Management
3. Calf Health Management
4. Calf Rearing Systems
5. Calf Housing
6. Weaning
7. Post-Weaning

Each lesson coincides with an assignment which is submitted to the school. This is then by marked by your personal tutor and returned with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Select calves for specified purposes, including dairy stock, and breeding stock.
• Explain the methods of managing calving operations on a farm.
• Explain the diagnosis of common health problems which may occur in calves.
• Explain different techniques of calf rearing.
• Explain the housing requirements of calves in an animal production situation.
• Explain the procedures for weaning calves in an commercial situation.
• Explain the post-weaning requirements of calves, in a commercial situation.

What the Course Covers

Here are just some of the things you will be doing:

• Explain the phenotype factors related to the selection of calves.
• Explain the genotype factors related to the selection of calves.
• Write a checklist of criteria for selecting calves for dairying.
• Explain how breeding can assist in obtaining calves for three different specified purposes.
• Describe the different stages in the normal birth of a calf.
• Explain the process of calving, in response to either observations of a calf being born, or the viewing of a video of a calf being born.
• Explain at least five problems that can occur during calving, on a typical property in the learner's locality.
• Analyse two case studies of problematic calving incidents.
• List at least four methods for over-coming specified calving problems.
• List the common health problems which can occur with calves in the learner's locality.
• Describe the symptoms of at least three common calf diseases, including scouring.
• Explain the possible effects of stress on a calf.
• Explain an appropriate treatment for at least three common calf diseases, including scouring.
• Develop guidelines for stock culling, for a specified property.
• Analyse data in a case study in order to diagnose the health problems of a calf.
• Report on an examination of the condition of a calf inspected by the learner.
• Describe calf husbandry techniques observed by the learner, including:
  
  
  • Earmarking
  • Castration
  • Dehorning
  • Branding
  • Tattooing
  • Drenching
• Compare natural calf rearing techniques with artificial calf rearing techniques.
• Determine the appropriate method of calf rearing for a specified property.
• List the criteria which need to be satisfied in the design of calf housing facilities, in the learner's locality.
• Compare the suitability of different building materials for calf housing facilities, in different climates.
• Analyse calf housing facilities on a specified property in order to determine the appropriateness of their design.
  
  
  • Prepare a design for a calf housing facility, including:
    
    • A sketch/concept plan
    • A description of materials
    • An estimate of cost
  • Explain the stages of weaning a calf on a property with which the learner is familiar.
  • List the possible problems which may arise in weaning calves.
  • Recommend suitable treatments for the weaning problems.
  • Explain the stages of post weaning for a normal calf on a property with which the learner is familiar.
  • List the problems which may arise with calves during the post-weaning period.
  • Explain any variations that may be applied to the procedure of post-weaning a calf.