Many calves have probably gone off grazing already, but that doesn’t mean you can forget about them. Make sure that you’ve got a plan in place with your staff or grazier to make sure the following things are all done at the right time. 

Drenching – Calves should still be being drenched monthly. Most people will have switched to a pour-on drench rather than oral, using a double action product will work better than a single active, and will slow the development of resistant worms. 
 
Zinc  – There’s been a slow start to spore counts this year, but with the recent rain we are likely to see levels increasing. Zinc boluses are the best way to provide protection to your calves, but remember that they only last 4 – 6 weeks and usually need that second dose to get through the whole eczema season. 
 
Trace elements  – Most grazing properties are deficient in copper and selenium. These can be supplemented as injections, through the water, or as boluses. As a general rule the boluses last longer and have the lowest risk of overdose, but are more work to administer. 
 
Vaccinations  – We try to get calf vaccinations all done before calves go away, but there are always some that don’t get done in time. If your calves haven’t had both their lepto injections please make sure they get done while they are away grazing. 
 
Feed levels and weighing – The dry period we had through November and December may mean that some graziers are a bit tight for feed. It’s important that calves have enough feed to keep growing and reach their target weights before mating. It’s very difficult for animals to catch up once they fall behind, and that can have serious consequences if they fail to reach puberty in time. 
 
If you would like to create a young stock plan for either yourself or your grazier please contact your clinic. They are a useful way to ensure that no management steps get missed, and maximise the potential of your young stock.