Turning autumn-born calves out to grass for the first time sets the tone for the grazing season. A gradual, well-managed introduction—using small areas, steady feeding, and calm weather—helps calves settle outdoors without stress and protects health and growth in early grazing.

Maintaining attention to heifer calf health and performance post-weaning is vital to avoid losing gains already made and to keep them on track [...]

As market values soar, it has never been a better time to reap the financial rewards of rearing the best calves possible.

A calf that underperforms during its first grazing season is likely to fall short on key performance indicators. What can farmers do [...]

It is a well-known phenomenon that nutrition will impact the health and immune function of young calves as well as adult cattle. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies, or indeed too much of a good thing can alter various components of the immune system. [...]

Early life nutrition is a key player in protecting the health status of young calves. Although turnout is largely dictated by weather and ground conditions, for calves it mostly happens in late spring. While grass is a cheap source of feed, it must be managed well if calves are to reap the benefits from it and avoid issues such as summer scour syndrome.

Introducing dry starter feed in small amounts to calves in the first week of life is important for multiple reasons, not least aiding rumen development. Dry feed is dense in energy.

A colleague told me earlier this year that he had been asked several times to explain how feed could be assessed from the details on its declaration label.

A good calf that gets the best start in life will mostly produce a good cow. It all starts with birthweight. As the digestive system is the last part of the calf to develop, size may be an indicator of when the gut is ready to begin digesting food. This digestion and the calf immune system also need a vital feed – colostrum – and they also benefit hugely from transition milk for a number of days post-birth.

This article looks at key points to remember when preparing calves for grass: Focus on rumen development, don’t rush transitions, how stress impacts the calf, value fibre and respect the finer details of the grass diet.