Successful completion of this course/module will develop your ability to independently analyse and make decisions about the management requirements of calf rearing.

There are 7 lessons in this course:

1. Calving & Culling
2. Calving Management
3. Calf Health Management
4. Calf Rearing Systems
5. Calf Housing
6. Weaning
7. Post-Weaning

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

• Select calves for specified purposes, including dairy stock, and breeding stock.
• Explain the methods of managing calving operations on a farm.
• Explain the diagnosis of common health problems which may occur in calves.
• Explain different techniques of calf rearing.
• Explain the housing requirements of calves in an animal production situation.
• Explain the procedures for weaning calves in an commercial situation.
• Explain the post-weaning requirements of calves, in a commercial situation.

• Explain the phenotype factors related to the selection of calves.
• Explain the genotype factors related to the selection of calves.
• Write a checklist of criteria for selecting calves for dairying.
• Explain how breeding can assist in obtaining calves for three different specified purposes.
• Describe the different stages in the normal birth of a calf.
• Explain the process of calving, in response to either observations of a calf being born, or the viewing of a video of a calf being born.
• Explain at least five problems that can occur during calving, on a typical property in the learner's locality.
• Analyse two case studies of problematic calving incidents.
• List at least four methods for over-coming specified calving problems.
• List the common health problems which can occur with calves in the learner's locality.
• Describe the symptoms of at least three common calf diseases, including scouring.
• Explain the possible effects of stress on a calf.
• Explain an appropriate treatment for at least three common calf diseases, including scouring.