The caption read something like: First calf of the season safely born, only another 499 to go. And so it begins.
Calving’s a tiring and stressful time for farmers but it’s also often a time when farms go quiet. The long hours, many of them spent out in the dark, mean there’s not a lot of time for socialising.
With dairy commodity prices and the corresponding payouts as they are, some dairy farmers will be wondering just why they’re getting up in the morning.
But it’s really important to take care of yourself, your family and your workers.
I urge you to read the story on P22 and look out for signs of burnout and stress in yourself and others.
Calving is all about bringing new life into the world and it must be done with the best of care and attention.
Remember, it’s only last year that the footage of bobby calves being hideously mistreated was all over the newspapers and television news.
While that footage was obviously not representative of the typical New Zealand farmer, it was a bad look for the industry.
The Ministry for Primary Industries will release the final details of its new young calf regulations this week.
They should serve as a good reminder to all farmers and contractors who handle bobby calves about what is expected of them.
Bobby calves are a sensitive aspect of dairy farming and it’s our duty as an industry to treat them with respect.
Of course, many farmers are looking to rear more calves for the beef trade. However, while demand is great, a dairy farmer’s first commitment is to the quality of the milking herd.
Whatever your plans this calving, though, remember the key thing is taking care of yourself and your animals.
