Early meal and smooth transitions
As future ruminants, calves benefit from the early introduction of solid feed to help their rumen develop. This, along with smooth transitions from one feed to the next will make for healthy calves and good growth rates.
The importance of colostrum for new calves
Giving calves the very best start in life pays off every which way. One of most important success factors is the early feeding of high quality colostrum.
The role of quality in calf meal
The choice of calf meal is a critical decision. Take a moment to look at the factors that play a role.
Respiratory Illness
Respiratory illness in calves is a common problem. These illnesses can be difficult to resolve, and they affect the long-term growth and productivity of calves. The best approach is to try to avoid respiratory disease arising in the first place; luckily, there are some management techniques that can help keep calves healthy.
Rumen Development
Early rumen development is a vital part of the nutrition corner, ensuring the animal is weaned from liquid to solid feed as quickly and cost effectively as possible. This then enables calves to utilise fibrous feeds and convert into meat or milk; an essential requirement of profitable production.
Growth Targets
Whether you farm dairy or dry stock, raising strong, healthy calves is vital for the future of your business. Doing this successfully requires growth targets, regular monitoring and an appropriate feeding strategy.
Rearing to Go
Rearing calves for beef can be a fickle business. What differentiates successful operators is the effort they spend on planning and ensuring quality – from sourcing their animals to their choice of feed. And therein lies the best advice.
Calf Rearing Front & Centre
When it comes to rearing calves, be it for replacement heifers or dairy beef, some basic nutritional guidelines make a notable contribution to overall success. They can be easily incorporated into any approach and will deliver good rewards.
Choosing Calf Feed
The aim of all calf rearing programmes is to grow calves rapidly to target weights and develop them into productive milking cows. This is achieved through a combination of nutrition, management and health. All calves need clean, fresh water from day one and should be offered good quality calf meal. With a multitude of calf meal options available making an informed choice is important, so what should you look for?
Colostrum
The first 12 hours are a critical period in a calf's life, as their gut is best able to absorb the immunoglobulins in colostrum, which will give them immunity to disease.
Calf Housing
Calves require a dry, draught free environment with easy access to feed, fibre and fresh, clean water.
Maxx Calf Health - Delivering real benefits
Having a successful calf rearing programme is the basis of every healthy, high performing herd, whether finishing cattle or raising dairy cow replacements.