When she came south in March for the HCCW event, Liz Shaw brought a calf colostrum booster supplement.  Made by Osmonds, it comes in a bottle to which warm water is added, the bottle is shaken and the liquid fed to the calf within 4 or 5 hours of birth.  This supplement can only be ordered by the dozen, but if we can get a few people interested it may be worth ordering a case to divide amonst members.  It does cost £9 per bottle, but it is very effective if a calf is not suckling well in the first few hours of life.  If you are interested, please let me know, by email, phone or proper post via the contact page.

The advent of the badger cull and tighter TB testing regulations means that people whose beasts haven't been  handled much and who do not have a crush are looking around for methods of restraining cattle whilst they are tested.  There are several types of crush around.  The "full body" is expensive to buy and not very portable without a tractor and trailer.  The head crush is smaller and less expensive but does not contain the actively resistant kicker unless reinforced with gates, hurdles etc.