Feeding calves more, has greater benefits than increased growth

​If the thought of extra kilos of liveweight gain is not enough to incentivise feeding calves more milk, perhaps the research emerging on the additional health and long-term benefits of feeding “high planes of nutrition” to calves might be.

Healing in pre-weaned calves

In a study recently published in the Journal of Dairy Science, researchers at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada evaluated the healing process following disbudding with a cautery iron. They sought to compare the speed of healing between calves fed a lower plane of nutrition (up to 6 litres of milk replacer per day), and an elevated plane of nutrition (up to 15 litres of milk replacer per day).

The study found that calves fed on the higher plane of nutrition had wounds that were smaller in diameter and depth than those that were fed on a lower plan of nutrition. Those higher fed calves also had healthy tissue regrowth 3.9 times faster compared with lower fed calves.

Calf scours links to volume of milk fed

In a 2021 paper conducted on German farms, researchers evaluated the risk factors associated with outbreaks of neonatal calf scour. Scour is currently the most common cause of disease and death in young calves.

Of all the factors reviewed across the farms, the main factor that was associated with a lower risk of neonatal scour was an adequate volume of milk compared to lower milk feeding levels.

Calves receiving more colostrum and on higher feeds of milk had a greater chance of remaining healthy.

For further information and support on youngstock nutrition visit Agritechni.co.uk or contact them on 0790 026 8200.

About:

Established in 1977, Agritech is a family owned business based in County Tipperary. They manufacture and supply a range of quality, innovative, nutritional forage products for livestock farmers in Ireland.

What started as a seed assembly plant over the years has developed into a complete manufacturing, research and distribution centre. Products are manufactured in a purpose built 50,000 sq ft factory and warehouse facility.