S p r i n g C a l v e s

During the months of July through to September cows give birth to calves in New Zealand, and a new milking season begins.
It is September now and many female calves (heifers) have been chosen to be reared as replacement stock. This means in 2 years time, these young calves will be old enough to give birth and enter the milking herd. By having young stock enter the herd, older cows can leave the milking herd.
Above you can see how a tractor is used to bring fresh milk to feed the calves in their paddock. The white drum contains fresh milk from this mornings milking and the calf feeder is lowered over the fence within reach for the calves.

	The calves gather around and find a teat to suckle the milk from. Can you see the black teats around the blue rim? After filling up on fresh milk, calves move away and play with the other calves in the paddock during the day, and graze on the new spring grass.
Very young calves need assistance to learn how to feed. In the shed the farmer helps these calves learn how to find and suckle on the black teats. When they are old enough, they will join the other calves in the paddock.