Things you need to consider when housing calves this autumn: performance on grass, winter health requirements, nutrition and birth weight.

There are multiple and important reasons why calves need fat in their diet. Fat is a source of essential fatty acids, which form important membrane structures in the calf, and have a key association with vitamins. Fat is also a store of energy and can be converted to sugar when the calf most needs it. Calf rearing is about keeping the calf healthy and, as importantly, developing into a ruminant so it can be weaned successfully and grow.

Heat stress occurs in calves when they absorb more heat than they can expel, leading to discomfort, reduced feed intake, [...]

As we learn more about nutrition and health, the value of natural flora, the prebiotic components and the enzymes in colostrum and milk are key to calf health and development. Low-heat fresh buttermilk is a key link between colostrum and milk as it contains many of the key health components of both and helps to protect the calf’s gut and improve digestion.

This article examines the crucial role of transition milk in supporting the gastro-intestional tract of the young calf. Transition milk is proven to have benefits for calf heath, growth and development. Unfortunately the practise of feeding transition milk has declined as modern farming techniques have made it more difficult to feed without spreading disease.