Pink veal rearing

Due to the short fattening phase, good growth and health for calves are needed from start to finish.

Other rearing beef calves topics

Fresser rearing

Pink veal rearing

Pink veal calves are finished at an age of 8 to 12 months. Until 8 months of age the meat can be marketed as calf meat; and the name is pink veal. From 9-12 months it is not allowed to sell the meat as veal – so then it is called pink beef.

Sprayfo focusses on the milk phase, the first phase for pink veal fattening. Bull calves are collected from dairy farms at an age of 14 days minimum and brought together at a collection and selection station. From there they arrive in groups (from 30 up to 180 calves) on the pink veal farm.

Pink veal fattening is well developed in Germany, were other European countries like the Netherlands or Italy are growing this business rapidly. The name pink veal is somewhat misleading, as many associate the term veal with the image of a small suckling calf. However, calves in this segment are aged from 8 to 12 months and have a live body weight of 320 - 380 kg.

This fattening process results in meat with a lighter colour than that of older bull meat. This is why it is called pink veal. It is important that these older calves reach a fat coverage of 2-3 (EUROP-scaling), whereby the colour of the fat must be white.

Prevent stress - keep it clean - stick to the routine

Arrival

Buy good quality bull calves, around 50 kg, with a low variation in weight and age
Pre-heat the barn before arrival to 15-17°C.
Check calves for umbilical abnormalities, navel inflammation and / or fractures

Feeding

First feeding after arrival;
- When bucket fed, 1.5 - 2 litres of water with Sprayfo HydraFit
- When on a drinking machine, immediately 1.75 litres of milk
Use Iron supplementation to prevent anaemia
- Provide iron injection, immediately upon arrival, when needed
Increase milk yield rapidly to 2.25 litres per feeding within a week
- Feed 125 grams of calf milk replacer per litre of milk
- Use Sprayfo Rosso for the first 4 weeks for the best start, this will reduce the number of poor growers
Use teat bucket to support digestion and prevent rumen drinking
Monitor drinking height (for correct drink posture)
For the first 5 days: feed water (1-2 litres + Sprayfo HydraFit) around noon
Start providing roughage and calf starter feed after a few days
For the first weeks, feed chopped straw and starter pellet only
After 4-5 weeks, add corn silage or a TMR blend; start with small amounts

Housing and management

Limit the level of ventilation to 0.5 m3 / kg bodyweight / hour during the first few weeks
Select the calves on growth speed
Depending on business situation (bucket or automatic feeding)
Group the fast drinkers, and/or the calves treated for disease.