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Once-a-day feeding proves very successful for rearing healthy dairy replacement heifers in County Tyrone

Father and son team Kenny and Kyle McIlwaine run a crossbred dairy herd of Fleckvieh x Holsteins and Montbeliard x Holsteins on the outskirts of Newtownstewart, producing milk at an annual average yield of 9,000 litres/cow from twice- a-day milking system.

Calf morbidity and mortality is at an all-time low. Kenny commented “Last season we only lost two calves out of the batch – a 1% mortality rate.’’

In the 2023/24 calving season, 160 cows calved, and 170 calves were successfully weaned, as a result of several sets of twins and a set of quadruplets born.

Around 60 replacement heifers are retained while bull calves are sold at approximately a month of age.

Calving gets underway at the beginning of September with the last of the herd calving in March, with calf birthweights of 40kg or heavier.

All calves are fed 10% bodyweight in colostrum ASAP post birth followed up by transition milk replacer (Transformula, manufactured by Bonanza Calf Nutrition) for three weeks of age (Read more here – link to TF article). This sets the calf up for success in terms of gut development, immune advancement and overall good health, says Amanda Dunn of Bonanza Calf Nutrition.

Shine Original is the go-to milk replacer when calves are coming off Transformula. The McIlwaines have been feeding these powders in combination for the past 8 years. “Initially we feed Shine Original twice a day usually for a week or so until calves are good and strong” says Kyle. They are then fed once a day at a feed rate of four litres mixed at 200g/litre until day 60.

“The calves are fed at 8am every morning and then they have the rest of the day to pick at meal and straw,’’ says Kyle.

Shine Original is formulated using high quality low-heat skim and buttermilk.

Amanda emphasises that the quality of ingredients in a feed will determine calf performance.

“High-heat skim and low-heat skim are as different as day and night,’’ she points out.

“Low-heat skim will form a solid clot in the calf’s stomach to allow for slow digestion and once a day feeding, while high-heat skim will only form a loose clot.’’

At weaning calves, will be eating a minimum of 2.5kg of ration.

“I put that down to the once a day feeding,’’ says Kenny. “Calves are as content and satisfied as can be, even when younger calves in a neighbouring pen are getting fed twice a day.’’

Rumen development has an important role to play in continued growth and health performance post-weaning.

“Calves can only digest milk in their abomasum when they are born and it takes time for them to become a functional ruminant that can digest and utilise dry feed,’’ says Amanda.

“We must remember that this takes time and the earlier that calves have access to dry feed the sooner they will start exploring it and eating it.’’

Post-weaning, calves continue to receive ad-lib concentrates until turnout to grazing, mostly in April or May, depending on weather conditions. At grass they receive 2.5kg of concentrates.

Prior to feeding calves once a day, the Mcllwaines had an automatic calf feeder but have found switching back to manual feeding is favourable for their herd, achieving consistent results.

“I don’t know why anyone would feed calves twice a day when calves perform so well on once a day feeding once they reach about one month of age,’’ says Kenny.

The benefits of feeding calves once-a-day is evident in the end result, says Amanda.

“At weaning you have a calf that knows how to eat concentrates so it will go on to thrive post-weaning without any growth checks once the milk has been removed from its diet.’’

For Kenny and Kyle, a combination of providing the best ingredients for gut development and stimulating the immune system in the early weeks, when the calf’s own immune system is kicking in, and a feeding system that allows for dry feed intake and success post-weaning, is a “win win’’ for rearing healthy animals and meeting their target age at first calving of 24 months.

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