Calf rearing is one of the biggest opportunities to influence the future performance of the herd. The growth achieved during a calf’s first months has lasting impacts on milk production, fertility and longevity, with missed liveweight targets often difficult and expensive to recover later. To stay on track, replacement heifers should reach around 30% of mature liveweight by six months, 60% by 15 months and 90% by first calving. Failure to do so could cost the farmer 100’s of dollars per animal for each of the first 3 lactations.  

Calf meal plays a major role in helping calves transition onto, and thrive as, functioning ruminants on a forage diet. Choosing the right one can contribute directly to smoother weaning transitions and continued average daily gain on pasture, allowing calves to consistently achieve these key milestones.

What is calf meal actually doing? 

Calf meal serves several major purposes within a calf rearing system. Firstly, it provides the early substrates needed for the proliferation of rumen microbes. To accelerate rumen development, a calf meal must be high in readily fermentable non-fibre carbohydrate, otherwise known as starch. 

The pre-ruminant foregut is not yet equipped to efficiently digest plant fibre (NDF). Instead, starch provides the accessible energy that rumen microbes require to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs), particularly butyrate. Butyrate is the preferred energy source for developing rumen tissue, stimulating the growth of rumen papillae and increasing the calf’s capacity to digest forage. 

The earlier the rumen develops, the greater the feed intake and growth we see as milk allowance is reduced. Quality roughage, such as hay, should also be available, as it supports the physical and behavioural development of rumination while encouraging rumen capacity. 

Beyond rumen development, calf meal also replaces the nutrients that are progressively removed as milk feeding is reduced. This means supplying not only highly digestible energy, but also high-quality plant protein and a practical delivery system for proven performance additives such as coccidiostats, prebiotics and essential oils. Incorporating these additives into the calf meal reduces labour while helping support calf health and growth through the weaning period.

Don’t be fooled by crude protein alone 

One of the most common misconceptions is assuming that a crude protein percentage of 20% automatically means a quality meal. 

Crude protein is exactly what its name suggests — a crude estimate of protein content based on nitrogen composition. It tells us very little about whether that protein content actually contains true protein i.e, peptide chains of amino acids, how digestible it is to the developing ruminant, or whether its amino acid profile meets the calf’s requirements. 

This is why the protein source is often more important than the crude protein number itself. High-quality ingredients such as soya bean meal and canola meal provide highly digestible true protein that better supports growth than lower-quality protein sources that may inflate crude protein figures without delivering the same nutritional value. 

The numbers worth asking for 

When comparing calf meals, these are some of the key specifications worth discussing with your supplier. 

These specifications work together rather than in isolation. A formulation with moderate fibre, controlled fat, high starch and quality digestible protein naturally delivers metabolisable energy and protein in the forms young calves can utilise most effectively. Looking beyond a single specification gives a far more accurate indication of how a calf meal is likely to perform through weaning and onto pasture. 

Farmers should feel confident asking these questions of their suppliers. Understanding what sits behind the label allows more informed decisions and ultimately contributes to a smoother weaning transition, stronger growth and better long-term herd performance. 

CalfMax has been formulated with these principles in mind, providing the balance of energy, digestible protein and proven additives needed to support calves through weaning and beyond.