Cow feeding baby calf
Caring for Newborn Beef Calves Separated from Their Dams
Calves that are orphaned or abandoned at a very young age present a unique set of challenges on a cow-calf operation. These situations arise not only from dams dying at or shortly after birth, but also from behavioral or health issues that keep a cow or first-calf heifer from properly mothering her calf. Calves out of cows producing insufficient milk or born as multiples may need to be raised with special attention. In the dairy industry, calves are routinely separated from their dams at very young ages. The resulting calves are sometimes referred to as “bucket” or “bottle” calves.
Initial Calf Care Priorities
Colostrum Intake
The first priority in caring for a bottle calf is to ensure adequate colostrum intake. Timing of colostrum intake is particularly important, because the calf’s ability to absorb colostral antibodies decreases rapidly throughout the first day of life. Plan for calves to receive 5 to 6 percent of their body weight in colostrum within the first 6 hours after birth. Feed colostrum again 12 hours later. To ensure proper timing of these feedings, calving herds must be watched closely for new births. Observe newborn calves within the first few hours of life to ensure that they nurse their dams. If dams refuse to allow their calves to nurse or are physically unable to allow nursing, take immediate action to provide colostrum to newborns.
Fresh colostrum from the dam is best and may require restraining and milking the dam or allowing the calf to nurse the restrained dam. This can be accomplished in a squeeze chute with removable sides that allow access to the udder. In the case of orphaned calves, providing colostrum from another source is critical. If fresh colostrum is not available, then the preferred source of colostrum is frozen colostrum previously harvested from within the same herd. The next-best option is frozen colostrum from another herd. When neither fresh nor frozen colostrum is available, then substitute commercially available powdered colostrum.
Have colostrum and newborn feeding supplies on hand before the start of the calving season. Otherwise, it may be difficult to acquire and administer colostrum in a timely manner.
Naval Care
Naval care is another calving management practice that should receive priority. Apply iodine or a similar topical disinfectant to the umbilical cord of the newborn calf. Continue to observe the naval closely to make sure that it dries and heals. Watch for signs of naval ill or infection, such as swelling of the naval. These infections are more likely in muddy or wet calving areas. Naval ill can develop even when the naval is disinfected shortly after birth and ground conditions are dry. An infected naval typically appears swollen and may be painful to the touch. Treat an infected naval immediately. Consult a veterinarian for treatment protocols.
Protection
Provide calves with clean, well-ventilated pens and shelter from the weather. Calf hutches can be purchased or barn pens used to house bottle calves.
Individual penning can help prevent calves from sucking one another and reduce the spread of disease. It also facilitates individual monitoring of calf feed intake and feces consistency as signs of calf health. Allow 15 to 20 square feet of barn space for calves with access to an outdoor lot and 20 to 30 square feet of barn space for those without outdoor lots. Mississippi State University Extension Publication 2558 Beef Cattle Calving Management provides additional details about processing newborn beef calves.
Very young calves raised on bottle or bucket feedings are generally more vulnerable to predators than heavier, older cattle. Without the close connection to a dam in the herd, bottle or bucket calves may separate themselves from the herd on a frequent basis. This leaves them vulnerable to predator attacks, and predators may be particularly attracted to the herd during calving season with the presence of afterbirth and new calves. Consider penning bottle calves in a more protected area such as a well-fenced pen with a mature cow until they grow to a size and thriftiness that allows them to better escape from or defend against predators.
Extension Publication 2661 Predator Control on Beef Cattle Operations provides more information on this topic.
Feeding the Young Calf
For the first few months of life, bottle calves must be either artificially reared by humans on milk replacer diets or grafted onto nurse animals. These young calves are not yet mature ruminants, so they need a milk-based diet. A calf needs to consume approximately 8 percent of its birth weight in milk or milk replacer each day. Offer bottles twice daily in two equal feedings. Follow feeding directions on product labels. As the calf grows, keep the amount of milk replacer constant, but also offer calf starter feeds and good quality hay as its appetite increases. Make clean water available for the calf, as well.
Grafting to a Nurse Cow
Successful grafting of a calf onto the side of a lactating cow eliminates the labor and expense of bottle feeding. Besides providing a milk source for the calf, it also gives the calf protection from predators.
Grafting a calf onto a beef cow that has lost her calf or another nurse cow (often a dairy breed) purchased specifically for such use requires management and patience. Grafting may also be needed in cases in which the dam initially refuses to allow her own calf to nurse. This may be more common in females that calved for the first time or dams that gave birth to multiples.
Start by penning lactating cows and newborn calves separately from the rest of the herd in a space that allows the calf to interact closely with the cow to which grafting is being attempted. Provide adequate shade and water in the pen, along with forages or other feedstuffs for the cow. For best results when introducing the cow and calf, do not bottle feed the calf to satiation immediately before trying to get it to suckle the prospective nurse cow. A tight-bagged (full-uddered) cow and a hungry calf are more likely to result in successful grafting.
When applicable, rub or tie the skinned hide (skin over the back along with the tail) of the nurse cow’s dead calf onto the grafted calf to transfer scent and encourage the cow to accept the new calf.
Afterbirth and commercial products consisting of synthetic pheromones also can help in grafting. Using these scents may be helpful during the first 2 to 3 days but not much after that period.
The cow and calf may be too distracted by human presence to nurse or bond when first introduced. Allow them time alone together without distraction, and then either observe them at a distance undetected or check them later for signs of nursing, including a full belly on the calf and slick teats or reduced udder filling on the cow.
Initially give the nurse female an opportunity to accept the calf without restraint, but do not wait too long for nursing to occur before relying on restraint. It is critical that newborn calves receive adequate colostrum and nutrients in early life. Also, dehydration is a risk that must be addressed through forced feeding situations if necessary. If the cow repeatedly kicks at or butts the calf and does not allow it to nurse when unrestrained, physically restrain the nurse cow in a squeeze chute with the bottom sides removed so the calf can nurse twice a day.
Repeat until the cow claims the calf willingly.
If the nurse female has undergone a difficult birth or is stressed from losing her calf, use extra care in handling her, and observe her closely for signs of distress or health problems. It is possible that even when a nurse female accepts a grafted calf, she may not lactate well enough to support the calf. In some cases, the cow may dry off (discontinue lactation). Do not assume that a suckling calf is getting adequate nutrients through nursing. Closely monitor the calf’s weight and condition, and supplement additional nutrients as needed.
Milk Replacer Diet
In the absence of a nurse cow, use a milk replacer that contains at least 22 percent crude protein and 15 percent fat. Mix milk replacer with warm water to better dissolve the product and make it more attractive to the calf. If a hot water source is not available close to the feeding site, use a thermos or other insulated container to transport warm water to the feeding site.
Then, mix the warm water and milk replacer powder together when ready to feed the bottle. Keep the temperature of the mix consistent between feedings and not more than 100°Fahrenheit. Also, use the same amount of milk replacer in the mix each feeding. Be sure to thoroughly mix the powder and water by stirring or shaking to dissolve all of the powder into the mixture.
Use separate bottles for each bottle calf to limit risk of disease spread. Sanitize all feeding equipment after each meal. To protect human health, particularly that of susceptible young children, keep bottle feeding supplies out of human food preparation areas.
Although a calf may instinctively nurse its mother, it may need to be taught to drink from a bottle. Start by inserting one or two fingers into the calf’s mouth. As the calf begins to suck, insert the bottle nipple in its mouth. It may be necessary to straddle or stand beside the standing calf and support its head upward while the calf is backed against a solid fence, wall (corner is best), or vehicle.
This head position will also help close the esophageal groove present in young calves and shunt milk past the rumen and directly to the abomasum (“true stomach”) instead.
It may take a while to get lethargic or ill calves to actively suck a bottle. When possible, spend the additional time to get a calf started on a bottle before resorting to a forced infusion of feeding liquid. But, if a calf still refuses to take a bottle, a stomach tube (Figure 1), also known as an esophageal feeder, can be used to infuse milk replacer directly to the calf’s stomach. Take extreme care to ensure that the tube is in the esophagus and not the windpipe. Listen to make sure that breathing sounds are not coming from the tube. Sometimes, infusion of milk replacer into the stomach will stimulate a calf’s appetite. Weak calves may require smaller and more frequent feedings. Continue to monitor calves for signs of unthriftiness such as poor growth, scours, and a “pot-bellied” appearance.
Have a scours prevention and treatment plan in place based on the advice of a veterinarian familiar with the operation. Extension Publication 2551 Identifying Sick or Injured Cattle provides additional insight about monitoring calves for illness.
As calves become used to drinking from a bottle twice a day, they may anticipate feedings and aggressively pursue the bottle. These calves become accustomed to humans feeding them. Although bottle calves are often considered tame or docile, the bottle handler needs to be careful of being head butted by the calf. This becomes more of a safety concern as the calf gains stature and weight over time. A wire bottle holder can be used to attach a filled bottle to a fence to keep the handler from having to hold the bottle during feeding. Be sure to remove the bottle from the calf when emptied to prevent the calf from sucking excess air into its gut.
Bucket feeding of milk replacer is also possible, but take precautions to keep calves from stepping in and knocking over buckets.
Make sure that buckets are not too tall for calves and are secured. To teach bucket feeding, place fingers moistened with milk into the calf’s mouth as described earlier. As the calf begins to suck, gently lower its mouth into the bucket of warm milk. Keep its nostrils clear of the liquid. Repeat as needed until the calf drinks on its own.
Transition to Solid Feeds
By 3 weeks of age, calves should be able to digest small amounts of solid feeds. Make sure feeders are not so high or deep as to be difficult for calves to reach the feed. Calf starter feeds should be dust-free, highly palatable feeds containing 75 to 80 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN), 15 to 20 percent crude protein, and adequate minerals and vitamins. They should be coarsely ground, rolled, or pelleted to facilitate feed intake and rumen development. Calves can be adapted from starter to grower rations at around 4 months of age.
After the calf finishes each milk replacer meal, place a small amount of solid feed in its mouth to encourage feed tasting.
Keep small amounts of dry, fresh feed in a feed box or tub in the calf’s pen. At first, calves will consume only about a fourth of a pound of grain per day. This will increase to about 2 to 3 pounds of starter feed by 3 months of age and approximately 3 to 5 pounds of feed at 6 months of age. Do not feed more than a calf will clean up in a day to avoid leaving stale or moldy feed.
Hay or pasture consumption encourages rumen development. Hay should be high quality and offered free choice. Provide limited exposure to green pasture, greenchop, or silage until calves are 6 months of age, because excessive feeding of these high-moisture forages to young calves can limit dry matter and nutrient intake.
Weaning Young Calves
Calves can be weaned at 4 to 8 weeks of age if eating well (1½ to 2 pounds of starter feed daily). Wait longer to wean less vigorous calves or calves that still have low grain intake. Extension Publication 2555 Early Weaning Beef Calves provides detailed information on this topic.
Gradual weaning reduces calf stress as discussed further in Extension Publication 2578 Beef Calf Preconditioning Programs. Do not change up other aspects of the calf’s routine when weaning a young calf from milk.
Make sure that weaning records reflect the correct contemporary group status of the calf. It is not fair to compare weaning weights for an orphan calf receiving milk replacer to those of other calves raised by their own dams. Most breed associations have special weaning codes to account for this.
Conclusion
Raising a bottle calf requires patience and attention to care. It may take several days or even weeks of good management to get a bottle calf well on its way to surviving on its own. Close management of calf nutrition and health are keys to successfully raising a bottle calf. For more information about beef cattle production, contact your local county MSU Extension office or visit Extension's livestock beef site.
Publication 2810 (POD-12-19)
By Jane Parish, PhD, Professor and Head, North Mississippi Research and Extension Center.
Copyright 2019 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributed without alteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
Produced by Agricultural Communications.
Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination in university employment, programs, or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status protected by applicable law is prohibited. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Compliance and Integrity, 56 Morgan Avenue, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.
Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914.
GARY B. JACKSON, Director
Home - Our Co-op
By Candice Johns with MannaPro
Feeding schedule
Most calves need only need 2–3 bottles a day. You won’t have to worry about middle-of-the-night feedings or early-morning waking; bottle calves eat during the day and sleep at night. They will need only two bottles a day if they are healthy, and the weather is nice. If it’s particularly cold or your calf isn’t gaining weight, three bottles will do.
- Watch for scours (more on that in a minute)
- Provide pasture, water, forage (after weaning is most typical), good-quality hay, and a clean environment
- Provide a free-choice calf-starter such as Calf-Manna® by Manna Pro® (if desired)
- Offer a good mineral program
Scours
I’m pretty sure our bottle calves would literally eat themselves to death if given the opportunity.
Their voracious appetite can result in what are known as calf scours or scouring.
Calf scours are basically baby cow diarrhea. This condition is dangerous and can be fatal. Be sure to watch your bottle calves closely (especially their stool) to be sure they are healthy.
If your bottle calf has access to a lactating dairy cow, they could face a higher probability of overfeeding. Some mama cows will be happy to “adopt” your new calf. Even when our calves are being well fed (three bottles a day), they may still run to the milk cows in search of a free meal. Don’t count on a full belly to tell your little one to stop eating. Manna Pro has a new product that supports digestive upset: Calf Care™.
If you suspect calf scouring in your herd, contact your veterinarian. Scours can be dangerous for calves (especially very young ones) and needs to be treated.
Fences are friends
If you have ever watched a calf nurse from a mama cow, you probably saw them banging their head into her udder.
This is normal behavior that stimulates the udder to “let down” additional milk for the hungry calf. This head-butting doesn’t hurt the mama cow, but during bottle feeding it can be annoying.
Calves don’t seem to realize that head-butting the bottle will not make the milk come out any faster, nor will it make any more milk appear. You may find it helpful to position yourself on the other side of a gate or fence while feeding, which can help minimize head-butting.
When the bottle is empty, make your exit — quickly
When the bottle is empty and feeding time is over, give your little guy (or gal) a scratch, pat them and tell them they’re adorable, and then make your escape — fast, especially if you did not listen to tip #4 and are standing in the field with them.
Why?
Feeding my little bottle calves can be the highlight of my day. They are so excited. They greet me with the sweetest “moooo” you’ve ever heard. They love their bottles and have the enthusiasm of a puppy.
Calves may be the cutest animals in the world
That is, unless it’s raining, pouring, sleeting, or icing outside. Then it’s not as fun. The calves are just as adorable, grateful, and spunky, but I am not as enthusiastic about the whole thing.
This is why you may need to run after feeding them their bottle. As soon as our calves finish their bottles, they immediately start looking for an udder. If a lactating dairy animal isn’t in plain sight, the calves may turn to the person holding the bottle — nudging, bumping, and smearing their soaking wet, milky, slobbery heads all over the front and back of my jeans trying to find an udder.
Bang. Nudge. Bump. “There’s got to be one here somewhere.”
“No, Norman [that’s the calf], I don’t have an udder.”
Raising bottle babies is a fun adventure. If you have always wanted to get into the cattle business but get indigestion when you see cattle prices, a bottle calf may just fit the bill. It’s probably one of the easiest, most inexpensive ways to get into the cattle business.
Raising bottle calves will not only get you a herd “on the cheap,” but you’ll also make some great memories.
How to feed a heifer to grow her into a future cow?
What do you want from the future cow?
If you have firmly decided that it is time to replace the old cow with a young one, then you know exactly what you want from the future cow.
Desire 1. Lots of milk.
Desire 2. Healthy and reproductive
Desire 3. As the owner wants (color, horns, character…).
For desire 1 to be fulfilled, it is necessary to understand that milk depends on:
- Genetics. No matter how you slice it, you shouldn't expect super-dairy offspring from a low-milk cow. Therefore, you should purchase a heifer from breeding parents or get your own from the semen of a thoroughbred bull.
- Feeding. Everyone knows that "milk is reproachful on the tongue." But, for some reason, they forget that “the future milk is the same on the tongue” of a heifer.
- Conditions of keeping and feeding. If a cow is not comfortable, it is unlikely that she will care much about milk. nine0020
To fulfill desire 2, it should be remembered that the health and reproduction of highly productive thoroughbred animals are very sensitive to: 1. Feeding and 2. Maintenance.
Therefore, whether your cow is healthy and reproductive is up to you.
Features of feeding calves.
Cattle are unique in terms of growth and development. The digestive system of a heifer develops in several stages. And our task is to give the maximum at each stage - the maximum of nutrients, vitamins, minerals. nine0041 So to speak, to set the pace at which the heifer will develop and turn into a high-performance animal.
There are three such stages:
- Dairy . At this stage, only the abomasum and intestines function. During the entire milk period, the mammary gland is actively formed.
We have only 60 days to lay the foundation for the performance and health of the future cow. - Transitional . At this time, the proventriculus (scar, mesh and book) begin to work. The heifer still receives the overwhelming amount of nutrients from milk, but is already “learning” to absorb rough plant foods. In the transitional period, it is time to start the active development of the scar. From the size and active functioning of the microflora and the size of the scar. In the transitional period, it is time to start the active development of the scar. After all, its size and the ability of the microflora to digest fiber ultimately play a crucial role in the productivity of an adult cow and the quality of her milk. The future need and milk fat depend on how full and roomy this pancreas will be. nine0020
- After milk . This is the beginning of the full-fledged activity of the digestive system with the functioning of all the proventriculus and stomach.
The post-milk period is the uniform growth of the whole organism. This is the correct development of the reproductive system. This is a set of the desired physiological mass. After all, we are interested in getting a weight of 340-360 kg already at 12-14 months. This is a guarantee of timely fertilization and the beginning of the first lactation at the age of 24-26 months
Each stage is unique and has its own feeding characteristics. nine0005
If you want to raise a good cow from a heifer, you have to start from the very beginning.
On her birthday and for the next 60 days, the heifer is actually an animal with one stomach (monogastric). Of all the chambers of the stomach (and there are 4 of them, if anyone has forgotten), only the abomasum functions, which breaks down the milk protein and prepares it for absorption in the intestines. To do this, drinking milk must be correct and financially justified.
To the question: is it possible to feed a calf without milk, the answer is yes.
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To the question: is it possible to raise a calf without milk for a future cow - definitely not.
Therefore, the first step in feeding is the first portion of colostrum no later than 30 minutes - 1:00 after birth. Why is it so important?
The fact is that the calf is born "sterile". And from a cozy sterile environment, he finds himself in an aggressive world full of threats and infections.
The immune system of the newborn is not developed, so in the first two weeks he will be completely dependent on the mother's colostral immunity (complete set of colostrum immunoglobulins). nine0005
In the first hour of life, the intestinal wall of a calf lets through almost everything in colostrum. Right now, the calf can assimilate the maximum of antibodies and nonspecific colostrum immunoglobulins. For a good start, it is important to give at least 200.0 g of this "gold".
On the first day, the calf should drink at least 2.5 liters of colostrum in several feedings.
It is this start that has to protect the animal from future threats.
The colostrum period, unfortunately, is short 5-7 days, so it is absolutely not worth saving on it. nine0005
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How to properly feed a heifer with milk?
For further feeding of the calf during the milking period, the following basic rules of watering should be followed:
- Number and frequency of watering For one calf per day, at least 2.5-5.0 liters of milk in the first two weeks of life 2-3 times at regular intervals.
- Milk quality and safety . Ideally, the milk should be from a mother cow, at a temperature of 35-37°C. If this is not possible, then it is better to use pasteurized and cooled milk to the optimum temperature. You should not drink cold milk, this will lead to hypothermia of the calf (in the first two weeks, the thermoregulation of the body has not yet stabilized) and to diseases (bronchitis, gastritis, diarrhea).
Cold milk is poorly digested. In fact, money down the drain. nine0017 Watering routine and hygiene . Drinking should ensure that milk flows directly into the abomasum (without getting into a still non-functioning scar), so this is best done with a nipple, which after each drinking should first be washed with cold water and then rinsed with boiling water and dried.
Information on how to properly organize the feeding of calves with colostrum and milk in the first month of life can be found here:
Peculiarities of feeding calves from birth to 6 months
When to start feeding a heifer?
Starting from the second week of life, dry roughage should be introduced into the feeding of the heifer.
Why?
- The heifer needs to learn to eat roughage because it has to happen anyway.
- Roughage getting into the formed scar irritates the underdeveloped villi, encouraging them to develop.
- With roughage, microflora enters the rumen, which will further process fiber. The better the microflora, the more efficient digestion. nine0020
- Roughage should develop the scar in volume. A good cow has a big scar.
- A calf that has learned to eat roughage in time gains weight faster.
How to teach a heifer to eat roughage?
You can traditionally teach to eat roughage by tying a bundle of good quality hay to a manger. But this method does not provide intense irritation of the scar mucosa. If there is little (no) microflora in the rumen, such hay is not digested (it just goes in transit). In this case, only milk will remain the source of the main nutritional components for a long time. nine0005
Today, an excellent alternative to the first roughage is ready-made compound feed in granular form.
What is the best way to start feeding a calf: hay or compound feed?
Ready-to-use compound feed made especially for calves of the milk period takes into account the need for all growth components and contains the necessary energy for development.
The granulated form has an advantage over a mixture of ground grains. Such compound feed does not produce dust, does not break up into separate parts, and is well eaten by animals. nine0005
Durable granule irritates the mucosa of the scar, promoting the growth of villi and the settlement of special microflora.
An indicator of proper feeding of a heifer is a daily weight gain of at least 800 g/day.
How long to breastfeed a heifer?
To get a good cow, the heifer is fed with milk for at least 3 months. With milk, the necessary hormones enter the body, which contribute to the growth and development of the reproductive system and the mammary gland. nine0005
However, body weight cannot be ensured with milk alone, therefore, up to three months, the heifer must consume ready-made granulated feed at least 0.7-1.0 kg / day.
Starting from the 4th month of life, the heifer's diet should contain hay, concentrated feed, root crops, silage, and be balanced.
How to choose compound feed in pellets for feeding calves?
Ready pelleted feed is the first feed for calves after cow's milk. The speed and efficiency of feeding the heifer will depend on the quality of this feed. nine0005
Compound feed of good quality must be:
- Fresh. The shelf life of the finished feed according to GOST is not more than 1 month. Stale compound feed contains toxic grain oxidation products.
- Correct. The compound feed pellet must be strong, not crumble in the hand, free from dirt, sand, earth, threads .
- Quality. Compound feed must contain all the necessary nutritional components, vitamins, minerals. The composition of the compound feed can be found in the quality certificate. nine0020
- Safe. Compound feed production under appropriate hygienic conditions ensures high sanitary quality of the feed.
- Effective. Good compound feed is well fed. A stable weight gain at a level of at least 800.0 g / day indicates the quality of the pre-starter compound feed .
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How to fatten calves for meat: nutritional advice. /
How to fatten calves for meat: advice on nutrition.- +375 (33) 615-15-90
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- Fattening calves for meat: features
When fattening calves, you should know the important rules related to how and in what quantity to feed them.
Feeding should be given special attention during the period when the animals do not go out to pasture. During the walk, you can give less feed. Cattle are accustomed to walking in early spring. The space for walking should be spacious enough. It will be possible to fatten animals only with a competent approach to this issue. Meals should be planned in advance. Cattle are fed in a similar way. nine0005
The feed content of young animals in different seasons of the year is different. In the summer, you can get by with root crops and grass. In winter, fresh grass is impossible to find. A special diet for bulls raised for meat begins from their very birth. Attention should be paid to the organization of the place for walking, it should be spacious. When choosing feed , you should pay attention to its quality. After all, the weight gain of the animal and its well-being depend on it. For proper feeding of calves, their lifestyle, structural features of the body should be taken into account.
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Calf fattening for meat
Bull calves recover faster than calves. Males eat whatever they are given. Since they are not milked, they can eat everything, regardless of the smell.
If the cow does not feed the calf, then the calf must be given dairy products. The digestive system of calves is formed at the age of about 30 days. Therefore, artificial fattening must necessarily contain dairy products. This is necessary for the digestion of coarse vegetable feed, which feeds on livestock. This improves the digestibility of the feed and as a result, there is less food consumption and a rapid increase in body weight. nine0005
If you include in the diet whole or skimmed milk, whey for the first time 6 months of life, the animals recover faster. Vegetable peelings or compound feed are added to the dairy product. It is better to give serum at room temperature instead of water. If dairy products are not enough, then probiotics can be used.
The drug activates the process of digestion.
The diet of calves for fattening should consist of 100 kg of feed. Food should include the following:
- crushed grain;
- hay;
- greens;
- vegetable crops.
The calves are fed three times a day. In the summer, fresh grass is given. The crushed grain is given dry or liquid. Calves need to be given plenty of water or whey. You can include potatoes, watermelons, zucchini and other vegetables in your diet. Vegetables should be well washed and chopped.
Feeding plan
The calculation of fattening calves for meat is done in order to ensure the maximum weight gain per day. So, the rate of weight growth per day should be 600 grams. The feeding scheme is as follows: nine0005
- Age up to 2 months. During this period, cattle eat only dairy products. Over time, the feed includes hay, wheat grits, and dried grass. Such nutrition leads to a rapid weight gain of animals and improved digestion.
- From 3 to 6 months, calves need protein. Animals are given chopped grain, hay, chopped vegetables. Thanks to this feed, muscle mass increases. You can also give chopped grain, hay, clean chopped vegetables. This diet helps to increase muscle mass. nine0020
- From 7 to 9 months, cattle should eat green grass or hay.
- The last few months before slaughter, the amount of food should gradually increase. So the animal will grow rapidly.
Following the noted nutritional pattern, a calf should weigh up to 400 kg by the year of life. Meat with such a diet is tender and dietary.
Feed advantages of the company "SHM-Agro"
Proper nutrition is the key to active calf growth. Only properly selected food provides an increase in productivity, strengthens the immune system and stable weight gain. Already from the 10th day of life of livestock, special additives may be present in the diet. They cover the need for vitamins and trace elements.
Our company is engaged in the supply of extruded compound feed and feed additives in Belarus at affordable prices. Using the extrusion method in the production of products is an innovative and efficient way. Special processing of feed ingredients at high temperatures allows you to get high-quality compound feed at the output. Its use contributes to the rapid growth of the animal. This result is achieved due to the high content of nutritious proteins and carbohydrates.
Advantages of cooperation with us:
- We manufacture and supply our products ourselves without intermediaries. This allows you to set low prices for goods. When ordering a large batch of feed, we make additional discounts in price. nine0020
- We produce feed products that meet high standards.
- You can order starter feed for calves and other types from us.
- We provide wholesale deliveries in a short time.
- If necessary, we will create feed according to an individual recipe that allows you to meet the needs of the client's livestock.
We carry out production in a short time. - We have modern equipment and components to produce high quality feed. nine0020
Would you like to order food or have questions? Then contact our employees by numbers: +375 29 615-16-03 and +375 33 615-15-90. They will answer all your questions and help with the choice of feed.
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