Calves & Heifers

Let’s start out our conversation about this topic by reminding ourselves that calves thrive on consistency. One element of this consistent care is their milk replacer. How do we arrange our work to produce high-quality consistent milk replacer every feeding, every day?

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions

Each manufacturer has options for both ingredients and processes when making milk replacer. Depending on the choices that are made by the manufacturer, an individual milk replacer will have relatively unique mixing requirements to achieve the best quality reconstituted product.

A goal for calf raisers, which has been endorsed by the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association, is for calves to double their birth weight by 60 days of age. During this time, young herd replacements should also add 4 to 5 inches of height to their structural growth. To achieve these benchmarks, calf raisers will need to feed a full potential nutrition program, including a 28 percent protein milk replacer, along with a 22 percent protein, highly palatable calf starter.

Colostrum management is a frequent topic of discussion in animal husbandry, but less attention has been given to colostrogenesis – the formation and concentration of colostrum in the cow.

The importance of antibodies in the prevention of disease in the first weeks of life is well documented in most species. Calves, however, are born without any significant level of antibody protection because there is no exchange of antibodies from cow to calf through the bloodstream prior to birth. The calf can only access these life-saving antibodies and other important immune factors through the ingestion of colostrum in the first few hours after birth.

Whether you raise calves for your own dairy or for others, raising calves well is crucial to the success of your operation. The aspects of nutrition, health and economics are not only vital, but are interrelated. One way to maximize all three of these aspects is to raise the bar and aim for better performance.

Colostrum

Colostrum is critically important in the first hours of a calf’s life. Many experts recommend feeding calves good quality colostrum at the rate of at least 12 percent of their bodyweight within one hour of birth.

In the last decade, better feed efficiency, optimal growth and higher future milk production have been the sought-after goals in calf nutrition. Recent on-farm nutrition trials are beginning to demonstrate the effects of a higher plane of nutrition within the first 12 weeks of life.

Paying attention to the calf from the start can be the best dairy practice when thinking about the future of your operation. After calving, it is time to route that time and attention towards the health of the baby calf. Once a calf is born, they often do not get enough attention, end up getting sick, grow poorly or even die.

Losing a Holstein heifer calf can cost $300, which during this current economic climate can leave some serious implications on the profitability of any dairy operation.