Most equipment failures at calving show up at 2 a.m. in a snowstorm: a head catch that won’t latch, a heat lamp with no guard, a camera that lost its signal, a frozen waterer in the maternity pen. The fix is the same every year — get your calving equipment checked, repaired and in place weeks before the first calf is due.
This page is a working checklist for herds calving January through April 2027, grouped by area of the barn, with a countdown table and a list of suppliers on FarmPages for calving-season equipment. It covers equipment and setup only. For calving assistance, colostrum, treatments and any medical decisions, work with your herd veterinarian. Need to replace something? Find livestock equipment suppliers on FarmPages and contact them directly.
Quick answer: Core calving equipment includes clean, bedded calving pens, a working head catch or calving gate, a serviced squeeze chute, a calf warmer, colostrum feeding gear, good lighting, a calving camera, windbreaks or calf shelters, and ear tags with a records system. Start checking it about eight weeks before your first calves are due.
1 Barn and Pen Prep
- Clean out and re-bed calving pens and the maternity barn; line up bedding for the whole season
- Check walls and doors for drafts at calf height while keeping ventilation for moisture
- Test lights and outlets; replace damaged cords
- Confirm water in or near maternity pens won’t freeze — test heaters and frost-free waterers (see our cold-climate waterer guide)
- Fix slippery concrete and footing where cows and people walk
- Set up a clean, well-lit work area with hot water, soap and supply storage
- Test the generator or backup power for lights, waterers and warmers
Rule of thumb: Many producers plan individual calving pens of about 10 × 10 ft to 12 × 12 ft per cow, with enough pens for the busiest two or three weeks of calving. Talk through your numbers with your vet and adjust for cow size.
2 Handling: Calving Pens, Head Catch and Chute
A cow that needs help has to be caught safely, for her sake and yours. Check every piece of handling gear before you need it.
- Pen gates swing freely, latch from outside and leave a person an escape route
- Head catch or calving gate closes smoothly and releases fast; side panels swing away for access
- Squeeze chute serviced: grease pivots, check hydraulic hoses and fluid, test head gate and squeeze
- Alley from pens to chute is clear of sharp edges and broken boards
- Calf sled or catcher ready for moving calves away from a protective cow
- Spare panels and gate hardware on hand
Replacing a chute this winter? Our manual vs hydraulic squeeze chute comparison covers the trade-offs, and the cattle panels buying guide helps if you’re building new calving pens.
3 Warming: Calf Warmers and Hot Boxes
A chilled calf needs warming fast, and the equipment has to be safe to leave running in a barn full of dry bedding.
- Calf warmer or hot box cleaned; heater, thermostat and door latches tested
- Heat lamps guarded and hung by chain, not by the cord, well clear of bedding
- Extension cords rated for the load; no daisy-chained power bars
- Clean towels and spare bulbs or heater elements on hand
- Charged fire extinguisher in the barn, easy to reach
Watch for: Heat lamps and portable heaters are a common cause of barn fires. Guard them, secure them, keep them away from straw, dust and cobwebs, and check them every time you walk through.
4 Feeding and Colostrum Gear
Your vet should set your colostrum plan — when to supplement, how much and what product. Your job is having clean, working gear ready.
- Esophageal feeder and bottles with nipples cleaned and checked for cracks
- Spare feeder tubes and bags
- Freezer space for stored colostrum, labelled by cow and date
- Warm-water bath and thermometer for thawing colostrum
- Clean buckets and brushes kept for calves only
- Creep feeders and bunks ready for later in the season — see livestock feeder suppliers
5 Calving Cameras and Monitoring
A calving camera lets you check cows from the house without disturbing them, and puts more sleep into a long season.
- Camera covers every calving pen, including the corners
- Night vision tested in the dark; lenses clean
- Wi-Fi, cellular or cabled connection tested from the house and your phone
- Mounts out of reach of cattle and protected from moisture
- Camera and router on backup power
6 Shelters and Windbreaks
Not every cow calves in the barn. Calves born outside need shelter from the wind and a dry place to lie down.
- Windbreaks or portable windbreak panels set across prevailing winds
- Calf shelters bedded, with calf-only access where needed
- Snow management planned — drifts behind windbreaks can bury bedding
- Bale feeders and water placed so cows don’t walk far through deep snow
- Drainage checked where you’ll calve on pasture in spring
For placement and sizing, read our loafing shed sizing and placement guide. To compare products, browse livestock shelter suppliers and pasture management equipment on FarmPages.
7 Records and Tags
- Calving book or app set up: cow ID, date, calf sex, birth weight, tag number and notes
- Approved RFID ear tags and management tags ordered, plus tagger and spare pins
- Scale or weigh tape ready if you record birth weights
- Vet contact numbers posted in the barn
- Supply list reviewed with your herd veterinarian; anything prescription comes through them
8 Calving Prep Countdown
| When | Equipment and setup | Orders and supplies |
|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks before first calves | Inspect pens, chute, head catch, gates and lights; list repairs and replacements | Get quotes; order built-to-order pens, shelters or handling equipment; order ear tags |
| 4 weeks before | Finish repairs; set up windbreaks and calf shelters; install and test cameras; service waterers | Stock bedding; confirm colostrum supplies and protocol with your vet; confirm delivery dates |
| 1 week before | Bed pens; test warmers, heat lamps and backup power; run the head catch and chute | Restock towels, gloves, disinfectant and feeder tubes; post vet contacts |
| First calves | Check gear daily and fix problems right away | Keep a running list of what to change next year |
If you’re shopping at the November shows, our Agribition and Farm Fair 2026 supplier guide covers what to ask at the booth and how to time orders.
9 Suppliers Listed on FarmPages for Calving-Season Equipment
These suppliers are listed on FarmPages with calving equipment and related products — handling, shelters, buildings, feeders and monitoring. Descriptions come from their listings; contact them directly for availability and delivery. Several are in Manitoba — see also livestock equipment suppliers in Manitoba.
| Supplier | Location | What they offer |
|---|---|---|
| Klassen Industries | Dewberry, AB | Calving barns with complete maternity pen and pens; 3.5-inch pipe frame |
| Tuff Livestock Equipment | Notre Dame, MB | Squeeze chutes, head gates, maternity pens, palpation cages, crowding tubs and panels |
| Ridge Road Welding | Neepawa, MB | Calf shelters, corral panels, gates, bale feeders, silage bunks and loading chutes |
| Precision Cam: By Allen Leigh | Brandon, MB | IP digital cow cam systems for monitoring cattle without disturbing them |
| Rostech Security | St. Laurent, QC | Wireless day-or-night surveillance for calving parlours, farms and shops |
| Affordable Livestock Equipment | Melfort, SK | Freestanding panels in 5–8 bar configurations; also listed under shelters and feeders |
| Level Welding & Mfg Ltd. | Vita, MB | Metal creep feeders, self feeders, bison feeders and corral panels |
| Silver Stream Shelters | Altona, MB | Steel and wood frame canvas structures for cattle sheds, calves, hay and machinery |
| Pembina Valley Canvas Ltd. | Winkler, MB | Clear-span buildings to 126 ft for livestock, machinery and grain storage |
| Diamond Shelters | Whitemouth, MB | Listed under farm buildings and livestock shelters; dealer network in Canada |
| Dueck’s Laminated Rafters | Rosenort, MB | Laminated Douglas fir arch rafters for one- and two-storey buildings |
| Sun-North Systems Ltd | Seaforth, ON | Natural ventilation products for barns: manufacture, distribution and installation |
| Agri-Trac | Woodstock, ON | New barn floor finishes or improvements to existing barn floors |
| L-Con Industries | Neilburg, SK | Concrete feed bunks; also listed under shelters and pasture management |
| Lakeland Farm and Ranch Direct | Stonewall, MB | Listed under livestock shelters, feeders, fencing, pasture management and loaders |
| Uncle Wiener’s Wholesale | Drayton Valley, AB (and other locations) | Wholesaler listed under livestock shelters, feeders, fencing and pasture management |
For more options near you, browse all livestock equipment suppliers listed on FarmPages.
Calving Equipment FAQ
What equipment do you need for calving season?
At minimum: clean, bedded calving pens; a working head catch or calving gate; a serviced squeeze chute; a calf warmer or warming area; colostrum feeding gear such as bottles and an esophageal feeder; good lighting; and ear tags with a records system. Many producers add calving cameras, calf shelters and windbreaks. Plan health supplies with your herd veterinarian.
When should I start getting ready for calving?
Start about eight weeks before your first calves are due. That leaves time to inspect equipment, order anything built to order, finish repairs and set up shelters and cameras. Use the final week to bed pens, test warmers and backup power, and restock supplies. For January calving, that means starting in November.
How big should a calving pen be?
A common rule of thumb is about 10 by 10 feet to 12 by 12 feet per cow, with enough pens for the busiest stretch of your calving season. Bigger cows and pens used for assisting need more room. Gates should latch from outside the pen and leave you a clear escape route.
Are calving cameras worth it?
For many herds, yes. A barn camera lets you check cows from the house without disturbing them, which can mean more sleep and fewer trips out in the cold. Before buying, test the Wi-Fi or cable connection from barn to house, confirm the night vision works, and plan backup power.
Is this calving checklist veterinary advice?
No. This checklist covers equipment, barn setup and records only. Decisions about calving assistance, colostrum, treatments, vaccines and any medication should be made with your herd veterinarian, who knows your herd and local conditions. Review your supply list with your vet before calving starts.