The Milk Producer - February 2012 - (Page 39)

CALFHEALTH By Kathleen Shore Winter feeding C Calves need complete balanced diet to thrive during cold weather, not just extra fat The two groups had no difference in health events. Adjusting a calf’s feeding program to compensate for weather changes should be done gradually and carefully. Providing extra calories from one nutrient alone forces it to digest a new type of diet. This can challenge and upset its digestive tract. Moreover, increasing a calf’s access to grain for extra calories is less efficient than giving it more Steps to a successful milk replacer during this growth winter feeding program: stage. The milk replacer digestibil1. Provide extra calories through a balanced ity is 97 per cent or greater. feed; one to which calves are already accustomed. Providing calves with extra calo2. Provide the extra calories in another meal to ries through a balanced diet they ensure smooth digestion. are already accustomed to drink3. Don’t just add grain. Provide extra calories ing, which includes calories from through milk. It is much more digestible for a protein and lactose, lets them deyoung calf than grain. rive more energy from their feedstuffs without an upsetting change in feed. measure of how much feed a calf must eat to gain one kg of body weight— was less in calves consuming regular Kathleen Shore, MSc, is nutrition and quality assurance manager at Grober Numilk replacer. They needed just 1.60 kg trition, and a project leader at the Grober of 26/18 compared with 1.71 of highYoung Animal Development Centre. fat 26/30 to gain one kg of weight. erage 7.53 litres per day and calves consuming the 26/30 drank an average 7.42 L per day. Grain intake was less throughout the trial for calves on the high-fat milk replacer. Grain intake plays a large role in developing the rumen and ensuring transition at weaning is less stressful. Moreover, the feed:gain ratio—the old Canadian winters mean adjusting your calf feeding program to meet maintenance requirements for growth and development. Ensuring strong growth of young replacements has been linked to earlier breeding and increased production when they join the milking herd. A calf needs more energy for maintenance when winter’s wind, chill and wetness set in. Extra milk replacer provides calories from protein, fat and lactose to ensure these energy needs are met. One popular notion is to provide extra energy by feeding more fat. However, a calf has to digest fat and providing more means it has to expend energy to digest a diet to which it may not be accustomed. A study conducted during 2011 at the Grober Young Animal Development Centre assessed how calves performed when fed a regular milk replacer (26/18) versus one with extra calories from fat (26/30). Milk replacer intakes were the same. Calves consuming 26/18 drank an av- 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Start wk1 wk2 wk3 wk4 wk5 wk6 wk7 wk8 wk9 120 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 wk1 wk2 wk3 wk4 wk5 wk6 wk7 wk8 wk9 High-fat MR (26/30) Grober Excel (26/18) High-fat MR (26/30) Grober Excel (26/18) Figure 1. Body weight differences in calves fed a regular milk replacer versus a high-fat milk replacer Figure 2. Grain intake for calves on regular milk replacer versus the high-fat milk replacer MilkPRODUCER | February 2012 | 39

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - February 2012

The Milk Producer - February 2012
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Industry Roundup
DFC Promotion
Research
Ruminations
Alternative Energy
Calf Health
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - February 2012