A labour-demanding process, calf rearing is often described as the backbone of any dairy enterprise. Setting the tone for the long-term productivity and health of a herd, for Laois dairy farmer Jarlaith Duggan, success in calf rearing is built on a combination of precision and good-quality nutrition.
Just outside Ross, Rathdowney in County Laois, Jarlaith runs a progressive and well-structured dairy operation alongside his wife Ann and their five daughters, Aoibheann, Áine, Úna, Orla, and Mairéad.
It is a true family enterprise, with each member contributing to the farm. “They all enjoy farming and the outdoors,” Jarlaith says. “They’re a great help to have around the place.”
A spring-calving system is operated, beginning in the first week of February. With a strong herd EBI of €250 and a six-week calving rate of 70%, the 180 cow herd calves down swiftly, with only a handful of cows remaining at this point in the season.
Jarlaith keeps only the milking stock on the farm. “All heifers are contract reared and bull calves are sold at five weeks to help reduce workload. I find that they are looking strong and well-fleshed out after being fed on GAIN Easi-Beef for three weeks, they are also consuming close to 0.5kg of concentrate per head at this point.” This streamlined approach enables him to focus on milking performance and calf health during the most critical early weeks of life.
Calf Management
Calf health and performance are central to the success of the Duggan’s system and starts at birth with colostrum management.
“We give three litres of colostrum immediately after birth,” Jarlaith explains. “Calves are then grouped into pens of ten and fed using a teat feeder.
Calves transition to GAIN Easi-Beef Calf Milk Replacer at two weeks old, a product Jarlath has trusted for the past four years.
“I’ve found that my calves thrive very well on GAIN Easi-Beef,” he says. “There are very few stomach issues, and they are noticeably healthy with a good coat. The automatic mixer makes it easy to prepare, and it mixes very well. I am very happy with it.”
Feeding consistency with GAIN Easi-Beef
Specifically formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the young calf, it contains high-quality milk ingredients, like whey protein concentrate for optimum digestibility and performance. The product contains functional additives like Butyrate to support gut development, and Gardion Garlic Oil to promote immunity. This results in healthy, vigorous calves, with excellent feed efficiency and daily weight gains.
Feeding consistency is a key advantage of using a quality milk replacer. In compact calving systems, consistency in nutrition helps prevent digestive upsets that can be caused by variable transition milk.
From 28 days of age, GAIN Easi-Beef can be fed once daily at 20% solids, offering significant labour savings at a critical time of year. The trick is to gradually build calves up over the course of a week from 12.5% to 20% solids, and have plenty of fresh water available to encourage higher meal intake.
On the Duggan farm, calves are also introduced to calf starter meal from five days old, supporting rumen development and early growth. Heifer calves are weaned at approximately 130kg bodyweight, ensuring they are strong and well-prepared for life with the contract rearer.
“I like to have them fairly strong before they leave,” Jarlaith explains. “We aim to give them the best possible start, so they continue to thrive off the farm. It makes all the difference later on.”
A strict vaccination programme on the farm sees the herd protected from IBR, salmonella, leptospirosis and BVD, supporting strong immunity and long-term resilience.
Jarlaith (left), pictured with Tirlán FarmLife Branch Manager Diarmuid Everard, acclaims his herds success to the good start his calves get, with trusted nutrition and support from his family.
Contract Rearing Heifers
With around 100 heifers going to the contract rearer annually, Jarlaith is building a solid, healthy replacement herd, one that gives him the flexibility to sell surplus in-calf heifers before calving and to select only the very best to join the milking herd.
“We produce more heifers than we need, so we have good selection pressure. It’s good to have the choice. The quality of the herd improves every year.”
“We’re getting into a really good herd of cows now,” he reflects. “The genotyping helps too.”
The heifers return to the farm in November, prior to their first calving. The contract rearing system eases the pressure on both labour and grass demand during the summer months.
Support from Tirlán FarmLife
Outsourcing machinery work allows Jarlaith to concentrate on stock management, while support and advice from his local Tirlán FarmLife Donaghmore branch, means technical guidance is close at hand. “The team in Tirlán FarmLife Donaghmore are very helpful, offering up-to-date advice on nutrition and management.”
With trusted nutrition in place, a committed family team, and a system that prioritises calf health, Jarlaith Duggan is meeting the challenges of calf rearing head-on, and giving his young stock every chance to succeed.
Thriving calves today are the high-performing cows of tomorrow. In a labour-intensive and time-sensitive part of the year, having a product like GAIN Easi-Beef in the system not only supports calf performance, but gives peace of mind too.
For more information on GAIN Easi-Beef, contact your local Tirlán FarmLife branch, business manager or visit tirlánfamlife.com.
A labour-demanding process, calf rearing is often described as the backbone of any dairy enterprise. Setting the tone for the long-term productivity and health of a herd, for Laois dairy farmer Jarlaith Duggan, success in calf rearing is built on a combination of precision and good-quality nutrition.
Just outside Ross, Rathdowney in County Laois, Jarlaith runs a progressive and well-structured dairy operation alongside his wife Ann and their five daughters, Aoibheann, Áine, Úna, Orla, and Mairéad.
It is a true family enterprise, with each member contributing to the farm. “They all enjoy farming and the outdoors,” Jarlaith says. “They’re a great help to have around the place.”
A spring-calving system is operated, beginning in the first week of February. With a strong herd EBI of €250 and a six-week calving rate of 70%, the 180 cow herd calves down swiftly, with only a handful of cows remaining at this point in the season.
Jarlaith keeps only the milking stock on the farm. “All heifers are contract reared and bull calves are sold at five weeks to help reduce workload. I find that they are looking strong and well-fleshed out after being fed on GAIN Easi-Beef for three weeks, they are also consuming close to 0.5kg of concentrate per head at this point.” This streamlined approach enables him to focus on milking performance and calf health during the most critical early weeks of life.
Calf Management
Calf health and performance are central to the success of the Duggan’s system and starts at birth with colostrum management.
“We give three litres of colostrum immediately after birth,” Jarlaith explains. “Calves are then grouped into pens of ten and fed using a teat feeder.
Calves transition to GAIN Easi-Beef Calf Milk Replacer at two weeks old, a product Jarlath has trusted for the past four years.
“I’ve found that my calves thrive very well on GAIN Easi-Beef,” he says. “There are very few stomach issues, and they are noticeably healthy with a good coat. The automatic mixer makes it easy to prepare, and it mixes very well. I am very happy with it.”
Feeding consistency with GAIN Easi-Beef
Specifically formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the young calf, it contains high-quality milk ingredients, like whey protein concentrate for optimum digestibility and performance. The product contains functional additives like Butyrate to support gut development, and Gardion Garlic Oil to promote immunity. This results in healthy, vigorous calves, with excellent feed efficiency and daily weight gains.
Feeding consistency is a key advantage of using a quality milk replacer. In compact calving systems, consistency in nutrition helps prevent digestive upsets that can be caused by variable transition milk.
From 28 days of age, GAIN Easi-Beef can be fed once daily at 20% solids, offering significant labour savings at a critical time of year. The trick is to gradually build calves up over the course of a week from 12.5% to 20% solids, and have plenty of fresh water available to encourage higher meal intake.
On the Duggan farm, calves are also introduced to calf starter meal from five days old, supporting rumen development and early growth. Heifer calves are weaned at approximately 130kg bodyweight, ensuring they are strong and well-prepared for life with the contract rearer.
“I like to have them fairly strong before they leave,” Jarlaith explains. “We aim to give them the best possible start, so they continue to thrive off the farm. It makes all the difference later on.”
A strict vaccination programme on the farm sees the herd protected from IBR, salmonella, leptospirosis and BVD, supporting strong immunity and long-term resilience.
Jarlaith (left), pictured with Tirlán FarmLife Branch Manager Diarmuid Everard, acclaims his herds success to the good start his calves get, with trusted nutrition and support from his family.
Contract Rearing Heifers
With around 100 heifers going to the contract rearer annually, Jarlaith is building a solid, healthy replacement herd, one that gives him the flexibility to sell surplus in-calf heifers before calving and to select only the very best to join the milking herd.
“We produce more heifers than we need, so we have good selection pressure. It’s good to have the choice. The quality of the herd improves every year.”
“We’re getting into a really good herd of cows now,” he reflects. “The genotyping helps too.”
The heifers return to the farm in November, prior to their first calving. The contract rearing system eases the pressure on both labour and grass demand during the summer months.
Support from Tirlán FarmLife
Outsourcing machinery work allows Jarlaith to concentrate on stock management, while support and advice from his local Tirlán FarmLife Donaghmore branch, means technical guidance is close at hand. “The team in Tirlán FarmLife Donaghmore are very helpful, offering up-to-date advice on nutrition and management.”
With trusted nutrition in place, a committed family team, and a system that prioritises calf health, Jarlaith Duggan is meeting the challenges of calf rearing head-on, and giving his young stock every chance to succeed.
Thriving calves today are the high-performing cows of tomorrow. In a labour-intensive and time-sensitive part of the year, having a product like GAIN Easi-Beef in the system not only supports calf performance, but gives peace of mind too.
For more information on GAIN Easi-Beef, contact your local Tirlán FarmLife branch, business manager or visit tirlánfamlife.com.
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