Well-being of calves and young cattle on pasture in autumn

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Organic young animals aged 6-12 months should be grazed between 1 May and 1 November. There are a number of measures you can take to ensure the health and high growth of calves and youngstock, which is the foundation for breeding good and productive dairy cows on your farm.

Expand the grazing area in autumn

Calves and youngstock need a larger grazing area in autumn than in spring and summer, as shown in the table below. If 9-10 heifers aged 7-9 months could be grazed per hectare in the summer months, only 3-5 heifers of the same age group can be grazed per hectare in the autumn.
The recommended number of heifers per hectare on rotational grazing with a grazing yield of 5,500 - 6,000 FU/ha is shown in the table for large breeds. For Jersey, there can be 25% more heifers per hectare. For permanent grass, the stocking rate should be halved.

Table 1: Recommended number of heifers per hectare (large breed) (modified from the fact sheet Grazing strategy - prevent parasites)

Prevent parasite infection with new area or divide into paddocks

Lung and gastrointestinal parasites can be a particular challenge when the infection pressure increases late in the season. Calves often graze the same areas all summer, but if possible, offer your calves and young stock areas that you haven't had animals on or that haven't received cattle manure that year. The vast majority of parasites can be prevented by having a clear grazing strategy with new fields in mid-July, especially for animals that are grazing for the first time. However, this is often not possible. Therefore, the next best option is to divide the field into several paddocks and rotate once a week. Preferably make 4 paddocks, so you have the opportunity to break some of the infection.

Find tips for protecting calves and young animals on pasture in the article here on icoel.dk Protect small calves on pasture.

Avoid hypothermia with dry bedding, shelter, shelter and good shelter

A dry, draught-free bed with room for all your animals is essential to prevent them from overcooling. Any external influences affect the calf's resilience. Consider whether it's possible to keep calves and young animals under 1 year old in the barn at night so they are only outside during the day.

Calves also need to be prepared and in good condition before autumn sets in, and it's important that good condition is maintained, even at the end of the grazing season. Calves consume more energy for heat production during colder periods, and if they are already in low body condition, there is a greater risk of disease and higher mortality.

Prioritise your best feed for calves

Prioritise some of the best forage you have salvaged for your calves. Feed is important for your calves' wellbeing and growth. Often, dairy cows' complete feed is used as calf feed.

Energy concentration and protein are good if it's a clean TMR, but if the feed is too wet, feed intake will be too low and your calves will not thrive.

Calves prefer silage that is well ensiled and not too wet, preferably above 35% dry matter, along with 1-1.5kg of grain or concentrate per animal per day. Hay is also an option with the same amount of supplementary feed as the silage. However, this assumes that the hay is well-mown, for example, that it hasn't been removed in the meadow after St Hans. Hans.

Limit values for calf mortality in the Animal Welfare Label

If you are registered for the Animal Welfare Label (also called the Heart Labelling Scheme), there are requirements for limit values for mortality in your herd. As mortality is calculated from registrations in CHR as an average over the past 24 months, your mortality data will start counting from 1 January 2026.

When registering for the Animal Welfare Label, the average mortality rate in the herd over the past 24 months up to the time of registration must not exceed 8.0% for cows and 10.0% for calves.

Herds that experience fluctuations in average mortality due to non-management related disease or similar, and that can document that the herd's action plan regarding mortality is being followed, will have the opportunity to apply for an exemption from the limit values.

Organic grazing rules for young animals

For young animals aged 6-12 months, the grazing period is 1 May - 1 November. However, young animals older than 6 months can be stabled in the autumn if

• Weather conditions are not suitable for grazing

• The animals are not thriving

The grazing area for young animals must be adapted to their needs over the grazing period.

Read more about the rules for organic calves and young animals on pasture on icoel.dk in the article: Organic calves on pasture - what are the rules?