In Belarus, calves will get fashionable winter “clothing”

Izra Newspaper

September 8, 2026 16:15

The Antopol wool‑spinning factory has begun sewing winter “clothing” for calves. The Belta correspondent was informed at the plant.

The idea came to the specialists after last winter’s anomalous frosts. At that time, the first batches of blankets with insulation were sewn to warm the calves. “In anticipation of the next cold season, we realize this is in demand, so we continued this work. We use our own insulators for making blankets. We can use both needle‑punched and synthetic foam of various thicknesses. If the temperature regime is down to minus 5 degrees, it will be thinner; for stronger frosts, thicker,” explained at the factory.

For the outer layer, a waterproof material is usually used, and the inner layer is sewn from cotton fabric. “We make it soft, not irritating the calf’s skin, so it is comfortable. We do not use glued materials that would make the animal sweat. For convenience, the blanket is made with special snap fasteners and adjustable straps,” said the factory.

The initiative was supported by the committee on agriculture and food of the Brest Oblispolkom. In the southwestern region, lessons were learned from last winter. Not all agricultural facilities in the region were 100 % ready for extreme subzero temperatures. “Winter forecasts are absolutely varied. Some sources say it will not be milder than the previous one. We must not make mistakes. One of the measures (not the main one, but important) under anomalously low temperatures is the production of blankets for calves,” noted the regional agriculture and food department.

Blankets are recommended for newborn calves to protect them from hypothermia. “A calf under one month old has an underdeveloped thermoregulatory center in the brain. It cannot regulate body temperature, so hypothermia, as well as overheating, occurs very quickly. A small calf is highly dependent on ambient temperature. The blanket helps avoid wasting extra energy on self‑heating. It allows active growth and development,” emphasized the specialists.

In the Brest region, serious measures are being taken to strengthen the material and technical base for rearing calves. In particular, this year there are plans to build 36 and reconstruct 17 calf barns. It is planned that by 2027 all of the region’s calf herd will be kept in modern conditions.

“We are striving to build calf barns to automate all processes. They include a feed kitchen with all necessary equipment. We aim to equip the barns with milk pasteurizers, milk taxis, and equipment for automatic cleaning of utensils. In several farms we are building advanced barns based on a custom design commissioned by the leadership of the Brest Oblispolkom,” added the committee on agriculture and food. Such approaches reduce manual labor. Thanks to this, specialists can focus more on caring for the calves.

Source: BelTA