Feeding calves from birth to 3 months
In the first days of life, a calf is vulnerable to any disease, since its blood contains a small number of immune bodies that can destroy viruses and bacteria. Therefore, it depends on the quality of care and feeding of calves up to 3 months how quickly and healthy they grow up. They are kept only in clean, dry and ventilated cells, but without constant drafts. Calf feed should be high in protein, vitamins and minerals.
Food for newborn calves should have a high energy value and be easy to digest.
Colostrum
When calves are fed with colostrum, due to the large amount of magnesium salts and high acidity in it, the intestines are cleared of meconium (original feces).
If you do not feed the calf within an hour after birth, then he will begin to suck on the surrounding objects. Because of what it can get sick with dangerous diseases, which in turn will lead to the death of the animal.
The first portion is calculated so that it is 4 to 6% of the total calf weight. But no more than 20% per day, and 24% on the following days. Do not give too much colostrum, as it will upset your bowels. If the calf is weak, it is better to feed it in small portions (0.5-0.7 liters), but more often - up to 6 times a day. The average daily feeding rate is 8 liters.
Colostrum temperature should be around + 37 ° C. Cold milk will upset your bowels.
It is recommended to feed calves up to three weeks of age from nipple drinkers.
You can also drink with the suction method. It has the following advantages:
- milk is supplied in small portions, which is extremely important when raising calves with not yet fully developed stomachs;
- food is always clean and warm, as a result it is better absorbed;
- the level of immunoglobulins rises faster;
- the risk of diseases is noticeably reduced;
- weight gain increases by 30%.
Sucking can be fed for up to 5 days.
Before feeding the calf in this way, the udder of the cow must be thoroughly cleaned.
What to do if there is no colostrum
If there is no colostrum or the risk of disease is increased when feeding it, then the calf is fed with the same milk from another cow or do it yourself. To do this, add 15 ml of fortified fish oil, 5 g of salt and 3 fresh eggs to 1 liter of fresh milk taken from a fresh cow. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth. A newly born calf is given 1 liter of the mixture, and for the next feedings it is diluted with boiled water by 50%.
Newborn calves are fed every 3-5 hours 4-5 times a day. At the same time, the period of time after milking the cow and feeding should be minimal, since every hour more bacteria appear in the milk that inhibit digestion.
When to get accustomed to water and other foods
After 3 days from the moment of birth, the calf is given water. For feeding calves up to 3 months and older, you need to use only clean and fresh water from + 20 ° C to + 25 ° C, and for newborns, boiled water up to two weeks, with a temperature from + 35 ° C to + 37 ° C. It significantly improves the digestibility of feed and the speed of digestion. Instead of water, you can use various infusions, for example, coniferous, hay or other medicinal herbs. They improve appetite, which in turn accelerates the growth of the animal.
In the first 2 weeks of life, calves are fed 1 liter each with a teat drinker, one and a half or 2 hours after eating. Older animals are given 1 to 2 liters in a bucket. Mother's milk is given to calves up to two weeks of age. Then, for the next two weeks, it is better to feed with collective milk from all cows, while occasionally other feed is given, for example, return or milk replacer for calves.
The transition to another type of feeding should be smooth, otherwise the animal will experience intestinal upset.
Newborn calves can be fed with yogurt. For this, about 38-40 liters of skim milk are taken for 1 liter of sourdough. Before feeding, it is kept for at least half a day. For fattening calves for meat at home, milk feeds are plentifully provided, as they contribute to the better formation and growth of muscle mass.
Hay
Towards the age of one week, calves begin to be taught to eat hay, as it helps develop the digestive system, as well as strengthen the chewing muscles. Hay is produced only clean, fresh, but slightly withered, with small stems and leaves. It is them that the calf will first of all tear off and eat.
The hay is either suspended in the cage at a level just above the calf's back, about 10 cm, or simply placed in the trough. Suspended feeding is preferable, as in this case the calf will be distracted from sucking on surrounding objects. Gradually increase the portion, for feeding calves up to 3 months, up to 1.5 kg of hay is needed.
Concentrates, juicy feed and vitamin supplements
Concentrated feeds are given to calves two weeks old. Sifted oatmeal is most commonly used as it is easily digestible. Or they buy a starter feed, since it, in comparison with oatmeal, contains all the vitamins, minerals and other useful elements necessary for the healthy growth of an animal. You can make a combined mixture with your own hands. The basis will be oats, wheat, corn and barley. Also adds sunflower meal, fish meal, feed yeast, grass meal, salt, chalk, phosphates and vitamins.
Salt and chalk is given to calves that are three weeks old. In the first month of life, you can also feed whole grains of oats or barley. Thanks to this, the stomach and chewing muscles develop faster. Do not forget about juicy food. They can be given to calves from three weeks of age. Boiled potatoes (mashed potatoes), grated carrots are added to the milk, and when 4 weeks old, you can start giving out fodder beets.
When grooming and feeding calves, hygiene and cleanliness must always be followed. After each feeding, the containers are thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water. This will minimize the likelihood of intestinal diseases.
The greatest number of diseases occurs due to a lack of vitamins, so it is always necessary to give the calves vitamin preparations. The main thing is, before adding them to the feed, carefully study the instructions and observe the indicated dosages. From 1 month old, you can feed the animals with Felucene for calves. This energy supplement comes in the form of granules and contains amino acids, minerals, a complex of vitamins, as well as fats and carbohydrates.
Using one vitamin supplement, in no case should others be given out.
Milk replacer and powdered milk
Dry nutritional mixtures are fed to calves that have reached ten days of age.1 kg of whole milk replacer can replace 9.5 kg of regular milk. Milk milk replacer for calves is bred according to the manufacturer's instructions, but most often this will require 8.5 liters of water per 1 kg of powder. Consists of a mixture of skim milk, grains, whey and buttermilk, and also contains an antibiotic for intestinal upset. When feeding milk replacer, the probability of transmission of diseases to the calf from the mother is excluded. In addition, substitutes contain more vitamins than whole milk.
Milk powder for calves also belongs to milk replacer. It is made from whole milk by drying. There are two types: fat-free and whole. The main differences between them are the different amounts of nutrients and their purpose. Both types have a long shelf life. Before breeding calf milk powder, you need to calculate the portion. It should be 4.5% of the total weight of the animal. Another positive quality of milk powder is that its composition never changes than that of ordinary milk (depending on the season of the year). It also does not tolerate infectious diseases. In addition, feeding calves with milk replacer is much more profitable than whole milk.