As calving season approaches, preparation is everything. The difference between a smooth calving season and a stressful one often comes down to how well you’ve planned. Here are 5 essential jobs every farmer should prioritise — and some of the best tools available to support them:
Prepare & disinfect calving pens and facilities
Before any cow calves, you should ensure all calving pens, gates, and head-catch facilities are clean, disinfected, well-bedded with straw or wood-chip, and draught-free. A well-bedded pen is so important that farmers are advised to use plenty of straw to keep newborn calves warm
Why it matters: Clean, dry pens reduce disease risk and give calves a healthy start. They also reduce stress for both cow and farmer once calving begins
Great products to have on-hand:
Check & maintain calving aids
Beyond bedding and pens, it’s critical to inspect all calving-related equipment ahead of time. That includes calving jacks, ropes, head-catches, gloves, flashlights, and any calf pullers — especially before a busy season starts.
Why it matters: Faulty equipment or missing gear at a critical moment can put the cow, calf, and handler at risk — and quickly derail night-time calvings.
Recommended products:
All Calving Aids
Calving Jacks
Calving Ropes
Calving Collars
Plan for calf feeding, colostrum, and early newborn care
Immediately after birth, calves need quality colostrum — ideally within the first 2 hours — to build immunity. It’s also wise to have milk replacer, feeding bottles, stomach tubes, and electrolyte solutions on-hand, in case the calf cannot nurse naturally or weather conditions are harsh.
Why it matters: Early feeding can dramatically influence calf survival, health, and long-term development.
Helpful products:
Calf Resuscitator
Colostrum
Milk Replacers
Feeders
Calf Jackets
Plan for Dehorning: Safety, Timing & the Right Tools
Dehorning is an important part of calf management and should be planned early in the season. Ideally, calves should be dehorned as young as possible - typically between 2–6 weeks of age — when the horn buds are small and the procedure is less stressful. Proper restraint, hygiene, and pain-relief protocols are key to keeping calves calm and ensuring a clean, safe job.
Why it matters:
Dehorning reduces the risk of injury to other animals, handlers, and the calves themselves as they grow. Doing the job early also shortens healing time and reduces overall stress on the animal.
Helpful products:
Dehorning Products
Calf Transporter
Calf Stallers
Calf Pens
Top Tip:
Schedule dehorning sessions in batches to save time, keep equipment clean between calves, and maintain consistent hygiene standards. And always check that your dehorner is fully heated and functioning before catching the first calf.
Plan your schedule, workload and safety measures
Calving season can be the busiest, most physically and mentally demanding time of the year. Experts advise farmers to plan a daily/weekly schedule: prioritise cows and calves first, then fence or pasture work later — or better still, delay less critical jobs until calving slows.
Also, farm safety cannot be overstated — cows with calves are often unpredictable and pose a real risk to handlers
What you need to do:
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Set a calving-season rota / schedule — know who checks which cows and when.
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Avoid unnecessary handling or stress to cows, give calves a quiet, safe environment, and keep records.
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Make sure helpers know the plan — for example, milking once-a-day shortly after calving can ease labour and help cow comfort.
You don’t need special products for scheduling - but having your calving, feeding, hygiene, and handling essentials to hand before calving starts will save time and stree.
If you tackle the jobs above before calving begins, you’ll set yourself up for a much smoother, safer season. Clean pens, functioning equipment, good hygiene, proper calf feeding and hydration, and a sensible workload schedule can make all the difference.