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Make long term performance a goal when rearing dairy heifers

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.

Researchers have suggested that together with dry feed intake at weaning, birthweight, colostrum and transition milk feeding combined account for practically 100% of how well a dairy cow will perform during her lifetime.

Milk is the bridge that will keep calves healthy and encourage dry feed intake but overfeeding, as well as costing more, could predispose weaned calves to pneumonia.

Dr Amanda Dunn, of Bonanza Calf Nutrition, advises putting all feeds ‘on a pedestal’, ensuring calves have fresh water, meal and roughage in tandem with transition milk and milk replacer from the start.

Be aware on what targets are appropriate for calves, she warns.

“Dry feed consumption and digestion at eight weeks should be 800g+ of dry feed at six weeks of age, as shown in tables A and B.’’

So what weight should a rearer aim for?

“You need to work out your mature cow weight and work back from there,’’ Dr Dunn recommends.

“If targets are worked out from US trial work involving 750-800kg Holsteins (Table C), is that right for your farm?’’

Models to predict dry feed intake in Holstein calves to four months of age J. D. Quigley,* T. S. Dennis, F. X. Suarez-Mena, C. E. Chapman, T. M. Hill, and K. M. Aragona

Table C

Mature weight (kgs)Heifer weight (kgs)ADLWG to calving (kgs)
7506750.86
6505850.75
5504500.57

Targeting higher weight gains at calves is no advantage unless dry feed intake increases in line with growth rate. So for older calves – three to four weeks or older -to improve growth rates:

  • Are the dry feed and water fresh and palatable
  • Have calves easy access to water, roughage and dry feed from an early age
  • Assess calf health and housing
  • Look at water consumption

Getting the above right will have big long-term benefits at little cost, says Dr Dunn.

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