Feeding the future

SPARTA, Wis. — Raising calves on a dairy farm means investing in the future of the operation. One of the most important aspects of raising calves is nutrition.

“We’re not really feeding an animal, we’re feeding bugs in the rumen,” David Lindevig said. “We have to feed the microorganisms in the rumen to develop the rumen.”

Lindevig shared his knowledge of calf management June 11 at a workshop hosted by Star Blends in Sparta. Lindevig, who has been a dairy nutritionist for over 30 years, said when it comes to feeding calves, the focus should be on rumen development.

When a calf is in its first two weeks of life, its rumen is only 25% developed. To encourage development in the rumen and the forestomach, milk replacer is generally the main nutrition source, Lindevig said. While milk replacer includes a lot of water, Lindevig said it is important to feed water separately as well.

There is a groove in the esophageal tube that directs milk to the abomasum and water to the rumen. The microorganisms need water to propagate, so relying on the water in the milk replacer is ineffective, as it will end up in the abomasum and not the rumen.

Water is also the best way to boost calf starter consumption, Lindevig said.

“Water provided at all times enhances starter intake and weight gain,” Lindevig said. “This, in turn, is positively associated with milk yield during the first lactation.”

The water needs of calves under 1 month of age are about 1.3-2 gallons per day. This gradually increases with age and at 4 months of age, calves should have access to up to 3.5 gallons of water per day. There is a direct correlation between water intake and dry matter intake as grain starter is introduced to young calves.

“If water intake is limited, dry matter intake will be limited as well,” Lindevig said. “For this reason, calves need four times more water than dry matter intake.”

Because ruminants use water to transport nutrients throughout the body, water is involved in about every aspect of a calf’s metabolism Lindevig said. It is also necessary for regulating the body temperature and eliminating waste. In a research study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison regarding the performance of calves and nutrition intake when fed water without restriction, there was a 37% difference between limited water and weight gain versus unlimited water offered.

This resulted in a feed efficiency increase of almost 10% by offering adequate water.

“Think about how much water costs,” Lindevig said. “The return on investment is pretty huge.”

Water temperature also plays a role in consumption. Ideally, the fed water temperature is between 90-99 degrees. This is true in warm or cold weather. If a calf is fed cold water, the rumen’s temperature decreases. As this happens, the calf has to use energy to get the rumen back up to its normal temperature. In warm weather, this is pulling energy from the calf’s ability to regulate its overall body temperature. In cold weather, providing warm water aids in keeping the calf warm.

When choosing a calf starter, Lindevig recommends one with 18% crude protein and 30% starch. Additionally, whole corn is recommended for starter feeds.

“I was surprised when I first started doing research to find that calves really grow better on whole corn,” Lindevig said. “It’s kind of interesting because as the animals get bigger, we’re grinding this corn to increase digestion.”

Time is important when it comes to introducing starter as well Lindevig said. Calves may only nibble on starter for the first two weeks, but Lindevig said it is important to get it in front of them so they get used to it. The feed availability can be gradually increased from a handful to about 6 ounces a day the next week. The third week should reveal a noticeable difference in the interest in the feed. Calves should consume a little less than half a pound per day in the third week. This should double in the fourth week and by the fifth and sixth week, calves should reach a daily goal of about 2-2.5 pounds of starter per day.

Lindevig said the adequate, early intake of dry feed is important because it stimulates rumen development.

“We need that dry feed to encourage those bugs to grow, just like we needed the water earlier for them to grow,” Lindevig said. “We’re just trying to develop that rumen and get that forestomach and that rumen up to that 70% range for volume. It’s very important.”