With calves now at grass the calf sheds on dairy farms ought to be empty, which makes it a very good time to wash and disinfect them.

The previous couple of months on farms have been busy, with calving shortly turning into breeding and first-cut silage additionally thrown in on prime.

There was additionally the problem on many farms of getting to cope with drought situations, which solely elevated the workload additional.

However as issues quieten down for a few months it’s a good time to get your sheds cleaned and disinfected forward of housing and the arrival of calves in spring 2024.

Getting these sheds cleaned and disinfected is significant to make sure that an infection ranges are saved below management subsequent spring.

Calf sheds

It will be important that the calf shed just isn’t solely cleaned out, however disinfected, as micro organism current within the shed might probably trigger illness within the subsequent batch of calves.

Leaving straw bedding within the shed for an prolonged time period will solely enhance the quantity of micro organism current inside the shed.

Steam cleansing is then the easiest way to take away as a lot micro organism and illness from the shed as doable.

If scour or one other illness has been a problem in your farm this 12 months, it is very important decide which type of scour/illness was current. You must then buy a disinfectant that’s identified to work in opposition to this scour-causing micro organism.

Through the use of a disinfectant that kills the scour-causing micro organism, the problem ought to hopefully be eradicated and never proceed to trigger issues subsequent 12 months.

The calving space or shed ought to be given the identical remedy because the calf shed, as it may possibly additionally harbour micro organism.

Now that the cubicle sheds are now not in use till the winter, additionally it is a very good alternative to get these sheds power-washed and clear forward of housing later this 12 months.

It will assist at housing to cut back the presence of micro organism within the shed and in addition hopefully scale back infections comparable to mastitis.

Any cubicle mats which are broken or cracked ought to be changed. These cracks have the potential to harbour micro organism.