calf group housing
*Your personal information will only be used to contact you after submitting this form. Your information will never be used for other commercial purposes.
Specifications
- Optimal climate thanks to good insulation
- Transparant light plate for sufficient light
- Easy to move by means of the forklift forks
- No air suction and no ammonia problems
- Size: 4,5 x 2,5 m
Topcalf bio-line
To better meet the needs of the Bio dairy farms, Topcalf have developed a biological calf housing concept called the ‘Bio-Line’. This concept consists of 3 calf housing solutions that support this concept. The Topcalf group hutch with free range is 1 out of 3 products that are part of the Topcalf Bio-Line. The products in the Topcalf Bio-line comply with the European requirements regarding calf housing for biological farmers. The other two calf housing solutions that are part of the Bio-line, are the Topcalf Mono Bio and the Topcalf Duo with free range.
Provided lying places
Countries in which we are active
Satisfied customers
The super calf hutch
In the first weeks of a calf’s life, it is separated from its mother and placed in individual calf housing systems. This is done for the purpose of minimizing disease spread. However after 3 weeks a calf can be placed in group housing. The Topcalf super calf hutch is the perfect solution for calves between 3 and 12 weeks. The super hutch stimulates a calf’s social interaction, which in the end results in a better solid food intake and optimal growth. In order to actually achieve an optimal growth one should comply to a few conditions.
Hygiene in the group calf hutch
Since is being housed in a calf group housing, the chance of infection spread can be higher. Thus, it is important that bacterias in the first have no chance of spreading in the first place. Topcalf super calf hutch has plastic walls & grids and is therefore really easy to clean after all calves have been transferred to the next accommodation.
Climate
In the first months of a calf’s life it is very vulnerable for diseases. Respiratory issues is still a common issue and should be prevented. A calf feels most comfortable in places with a temperature between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. Outside this range a calf needs to use extra energy to keep its body warm, which reduces its growth. Therefore, pay extra attention to hutch placement in summer and winter times. Moreover, make sure that draft has no chance in your chosen location.
what are the benefits of group housing?
Calves are separated from the other calves out of fear from infections. The day after birth a calf is being separated from her mother and placed in individual hutches. The advantage of housing calves in this way, is that you can feed them individually and risk of infections is minimized. However some drawbacks are also presented. More labour is required to monitor each calf individually. Next to that, calves have less social interaction.
For this reason more and more researches have been conducted to investigate the opportunities and risks that early group housing shows. These studies show that putting calves together in an earlier stage has a significant effect on the calves growth. Calves stimulate each other to eat more and develop more social skills. On the other side, the researches show that, provided that management is done well, calves are not exposed to more health risks.
Our projects
