Feeding and Nutrition of dairy calves Flashcards
What is the main difference btw beef and dairy calves:
BEEF: the calf is left with the mother– the main product is the offspring
DAIRY: the calf is removed from the mother and fed milk replacers– MOTHERs MILK is the main product
Timeline: ages, weights and ruminoreticulum to abomasum ratio (9)
- Day 0: 40-50kg
- 1 wk
- 3 wks
- 1 mnth: 0.5
- 2 mnths: 1.5
- 70 days
- 3 mnths: 80-110 kg
- 4 mnths: 4-5
- 6 mnths: 180-200kg
Timeline: ages and feeding (5)
- 0-1wk: 8-10L a day of colostrum
- 1wk-3wks: 6L/day
- 3wks-2mnths: 8L/day
- 2 mnths-70 days: 7L—3L/day
- 70 days-6mnths: >1.5kg of dry feed per day
Which is the most important stomach in calves
The abomasum in the most NB in young calves, it decr in size with age
3 areas to mention about the calves digestive physio and development
Development of the rumen
Development of enzymes
Esophageal groove reflex
Development of the rumen: (3)
- Incr in the number of VFA’s- these incr the size of the rumen
- Must establish a microbiome- so introduce solid feeds e.g hay and pellets from wk2
- Development of papillae- incr the surface area and are triggered by hay fibres
Development of enzyme function (4)
- Pro-renin— renin: for casein ferm
- Lipase: to digest milk fat
- Lactase: Milk sugar (lactose) digestion
- Maltase and saccharase- develop after 3-4wks
Esophageal groove reflex
a “tube” allowing food to go straight from the mouth to the abomasum
For it to work with milk replacers must be at body temp of 37-38 degrees BUT can be altered by other factors
- Type of liquid intake
- Age
- Temp
- Chemicals e.g copper sulphate
Composition of colostrum vs milk
Ig’s: 6 vs 0.09
Mg %: 0.04 vs 0.01
Vits: higher vs lower
Calf training and feeding programmes
- Traditional– beef
- Liquid/artificial system: dairy
Calf training and feeding programmes : wk 1 (4)
- The same for beef and dairy
- First 2 hrs of life: 4L of colostrum
- Day 1+2: 8-10L of colostrum spread into 4 meals each day
- Total for the week: 35L
Calf training and feeding programmes: wk 2
- Traditional
- Direct suckling
- Disadvantages: waste of milk that could be sold
- Unbalanced nutrient supply to the calves
- Liquid/artificial
- better milk prod by cow
- Whole milk and milk fat can be removed for Hu
- Early weaning of calves
Calf training and feeding programmes: systems used (6)
- The liquid is at 38-40degrees
- Whole milk and whole milk powder
- Skim milk/skim milk powder + fat supplement + water
- Protein supplement (soybean) + fat supplement
- Milk replacers: Skim milk powder + whey +soybean+ fat
- Acidified milk replacers are the same as above but with formic acid for converting pro-renin to renin
Calf training and feeding programmes: how much at the different ages (3)
- 10-21 days: 6L per day
- 22-56 days: 8L per day
- 57-70 days: 7—-5L per day
(in the last week give 2x 1.5L per day)
4 other stages of calf nutrition
- Transition to fermentable feeds
- Water requirement
- Weaning
- Postrearing
Transition to fermentable feeds
As you decr the amnt of milk replacer, the amnt of solid feed begins to incr
From wk 2:
- Calf starter pellets: high conc and CP of 18-19%
- High quality meadow hay: high CP of 16%, low in CF 20%
Water requirement:
Mnth 1: 8-10L per day
Mnth 2: 10-15L per day
Weaning: (4)
- Usually takes place at aound 80-90 days
- Most NB is dry feed consumption- solid feed intake of the calf should be measured to determine an appropriate weaning time
- This time is usually when the calf eats 1.5kg a day of dry feed- consusts of 0.5-0.6kg of hay+0.8-1.2kg of conc
- From this point on the quality of conc is NB
Conc and hay intake at the different ages
Conc vs hay (both in kg)
- 30 days: 0.15-1.2 vs 0.1-0.15
- 60 days: 0.6-0.8 vs 0.3-0.4
- 90 days: 1.5-1.8 vs 0.8-1
Postrearing (3)
- Per day: 2-2.5kg of conc + roughages ad lib
- Goal: 800g daily gain
- 1 wk post weaning: change diet from starter to grower
