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GeneralMany problems in calves can be avoided by careful and regular feeding. A 12 hourly feed of milk is the best regime for your calves. Unrestricted fresh roughage and concentrates must be available. |
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ColostrumSeparate the calf from the dam immediately to prevent infectious disease. For the calf it is very important that it is given 2 litres of colostrum as early as possible, so that it can absorb the antibodies this contains. The colostrum must be provided at a temperature of 40°C. Drinking the liquid at 40°C stimulates the calf's oesophageal groove reflex so that the colostrum can enter the rumen.
It is wise to repeat the administration of the first colostrum after 6 hours on the first day, because the uptake of antibodies from the colostrum takes place primarily in the first 12 hours. Uptake of antibodies in the gut falls off after that.
The colostrum should be heated using warm water. |
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Following the colostrum stageFrom the 4th day onwards a start can be made with milk replacer, and it is important that the calf has unrestricted access to good and tasty concentrates to encourage the development of the rumen from then on. The principle ingredients of VAR-Prestart and Ruwvoerbrok are easily digested protein-rich foodstuffs. It is also wise to provide the calves with unrestricted hay or something like lucerne from this time on.
Calves can handle more roughage from week three, and precisely for that reason it is important to provide increased roughage and concentrates to activate the rumen.
When the rumen becomes more active you can replace the VAR-Prestart with VAR-Startbrok. This pellet contains an element of roughage alongside easily digested protein-rich feedstuffs. An even better option may be to replace all the roughage in the feed by Ruwvoerbrok. The great advantage with Ruwvoerbrok is that it always contains the same raw materials, providing a constant balance in the digestive system.
A feeding plan for an ideal calf rearing operation is set out below. |
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Feeding planFirst three days: colostrum from the dam, then switch immediately to milk replacer. The table below sets out a feeding plan together with a plan for the provision of milk.
Feeding plan for rearing calves. | | Rearing period (depending on the situation within the business) | Milk | Concentrates | | 8 weeks | 10 weeks | 12 weeks | 2 times a day | Unrestricted | | | | 4 - 10 days | 4 - 10 days | 4 - 14 days | 2 litres | VAR - Prestart | | 11 - 21 days | 11 - 21 days | 15 - 23 days | 2.5 litres | Ruwvoerbrok | | 22 - 42 days | 22 - 50 days | 24 - 55 days | 3 litres | Ruwvoerbrok | | 43 - 46 days | 51 - 60 days | 56 - 64 days | 2.5 litres | Ruwvoerbrok | | 47 - 51 days | 61 - 66 days | 65 - 75 days | 2 litres | Ruwvoerbrok | | 52 - 56 days | 67 - 70 days | 76 - 84 days | 1.5 litres | Ruwvoerbrok |
It is a good idea to provide the calf with fresh drinking water from day 10 onwards. |
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Yearling rationIf there is a really good and not too moist ration available for the milking cows you can also add a small amount of this to the calves feed from week 8 onwards. From week 10 you must also start getting the calves used to the yearling ration. This ration (primarily grass) needs to be taken from a pasture where the last cut has not been grazed before mowing, to prevent Para-TB (spring silage is therefore ideal). This demonstrates that by no means all roughage is suitable for calves.
From week 10 you can gradually start them on the same ration as the yearlings. It is important that this silage should be as dry as possible (50% dry matter) and if anything a little coarse rather than too fine. If your yearling ration is short of structure then straw, hay or lucerne can be added.
The concentrate allowance for calves up to six months is 2 kg of pellets per day. This should then be tapered off to 0 at age 8 months. You may if necessary continue to feed a little of this until they are inseminated. However you must ensure that your calves do not get too fat, as this prevents good development in size, proper development of the rumen and early calving.
From the time of insemination onwards there is no further requirement for any form of concentrate, which would only hamper the development of the animal. The only effect is to over-fatten the stock, which is expensive as it delays milk production. |
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