Neonate or young animal (calves) are the future of herd of a dairy farm. Hence the dairy farmer should treat them with outmost care.

1. CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF NEONATES
FOR BETTER SURVIVAL
20-07-2022
Dr. S. S. Hanah (Sr. Scientist), ICAR-
NRC on Mithun-Nagaland
Dr. J.K. Chamuah (Sr. Scientist),
ICAR-NRC on Mithun Nagaland

2.  Puberty at 9 to 12 months of age
 Estrous cycle is 21 days + 3 days
 Standing heat or estrus is 12 to
18 hrs.
 Ovulation occurs after estrus.
 Gestation period is 285 days + 5
days
Basic Bovine Reproductive Facts

3.  The future of any animal husbandry depends on the successful raising of the
neonates as replacement stock
 Today’s calves is tomorrow’s Yak cows & bulls
 Neonatal physiology is unpredictably different from adult, they are born
immunologically naive thereby, unable to mount any sort of response to infection
 livestock owner should take every possible care to provide suitable environment
by implementing scientific methods of care and management
Why?

4. When to start ?
1 2
3
4

5. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Time (hours) relative to birth
Efficiency of Ig absorption
7
6
5
19.02.2016: Dr. S. S. Hanah (Scientist), ICAR-NRC on Yak, Dirang

7.  Colostrum: first milk produced by the dam prior to and during the first few days
after calving. It is thick and yellowish in colour.
 less lactose (sugar) but 4 to 5 times more protein
 10 to 15 times more vitamin-A than normal milk.
 It is also rich in minerals like Cu, Fe, Mg and Mn
 Contains vitamins like Riboflavin, Cholin, Thiamine, Pantothenic acid etc.
 Contains transferrin and lactoferrin which bind iron and restrict bacterial growth.
Contain
Artificial colostrum?
Artificial colostrum: 600 ml whole milk, 300 ml water, ½ teaspoon of
castor oil, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of glucose powder.