Early calf nutrition and management

Successful calf rearing does not begin at birth; it begins with how well the pregnant cow is managed during the pregnancy, especially in the last trimester (7-9months). The condition of the dam before calving determines not only how easily she calves, but also the quality of colostrum she produces, the vigour of the newborn calf, and the calf’s ability to survive and grow.

Sire selection 

Appropriate sire (bull) selection means choosing a bull with the right genetics and health traits so that calves inherit them; however, feeding and overall calf (and later cow) management determine how much of that genetic potential is expressed.

After birth

To achieve healthy, productive future dairy cows, proper calf-rearing practices must begin immediately after birth. The first important meal is colostrum.

Colostrum’s importance?

• Calves are born without antibodies (immunoglobulins), making them highly vulnerable to disease. They must receive their passive immunity by consuming high-quality colostrum immediately after birth.
• Due to the nature of the antibodies, colostrum should be fed within 2 hours of life and every 4-6 hours for the first day to achieve maximum absorption, which happens within the first 24 hours through the intestinal wall before it declines drastically.
• Colostrum provides a critical energy boost, as calves are born with low energy reserves. It contains about twice the solids and energy of normal cow's milk, making it ideal for early survival.
• It contains bioactive components (hormones, growth factors, insulin) that stimulate gut development and improve digestion in the first days of life.

Composition of colostrum vs whole milk

The benefits of separating the calf and dam immediately after birth;
  • Prevents strong dam-calf bonding in breeds with strong maternal instinct,
  • Allows controlled feeding of colostrum and milk (hygiene, quantity and timing),
  • Enables accurate milk production monitoring (yield, quality, any other problems),
  • Reduces disease risk from suckling (dirt, manure, pathogens, and disease-causing organisms).

Why bottle-feeding or use a teat bucket  

• Trying to mimic the nature condition of suckling; the calf also produces saliva that is important for digestion. The teat hole should not be made bigger.
• Ensures accurate measurement of milk intake per feeding and per day,
• Guarantees adequate and consistent colostrum intake (quality, quantity, timing) for optimal health and growth,
• Makes it easier to detect reduced appetite (early signs of illness),
• Supports smooth transition to solid feeds and weaning. 

It is important to;

• Ensure that hygiene and the right temperature of 38–40°C (body temperature - feed immediately after milking) is achieved,
• Do not heat colostrum on an open fire or in a microwave, but warm it in warm water to the right temperature.
• After using the bottle feeding for 2-3 days, you can switch to a bucket with a teat. 

Whole milk feeding criteria

In the first two hours of life, feed the calf at least 2L and another 2L in 4 hours, which should add up to 10% of the birth weight. Feed the calf frequently, 3-4 feedings per day, depending on age shown in Table 2.

Introduction to feeds, roughage and water.

1. Starter concentrates feeding

Starter concentrate feeds are designed to promote rumen development, transitioning the calf from a milk-based diet to one based solely on roughage/fodder and concentrates post-weaning. Providing a quality calf starter (pellets) from day one is essential to stimulate growth of the microbial population/flora in the rumen and development of the rumen papillae, which is vital for successful weaning.

Example calf feeding timeline. Remember, the volume of milk fed will increase with age as energy requirements increase.

In the first few weeks of life, calves will only eat small amounts of concentrate feeds, but intake will increase steadily with age, so reduced milk supply. The earlier calves start to eat concentrate feeds, the stronger and healthier they will be at weaning. 

Table below outlines the age of a calf versus milk and feed intake.

Peris Chege- Technical Advisor, Unga Farmcare (E.A) Ltd

• Starter concentrate is highly palatable to encourage early intake,
• Avoid powdery or dusty feeds, as this will reduce intake; pellets increase feed intake,
• To avoid spoilage, provide small amounts of fresh starter concentrate daily,
• Observe calves to see when they require more starter within the day (e.g. intake is fast and before day's end) and ensure it is always available,

What is rumen development?

Rumen development is the process by which a calf’s digestive system matures from a simple, milk-digesting system at birth into a fully functional system capable of digesting fibrous feeds (roughages). This involves an increase in rumen size in volume, growth of the microbial population, and development of rumen papillae that assist in the absorption of nutrients.

The picture below shows the difference in feeding a calf with only milk and hay (fodder) against milk, hay and grain (starter concentrate), which has more rumen development. 

Rumen development starts as early as 2-3 weeks of life and continues into the 4^th month of age. To aid rumen and rumen flora development, the introduction of starter concentrates and fibrous feeds is key at an early age (2-3 weeks).

Why early development matters:

• Enables early fermentation/digestion of fodder and concentrates,
• Reduces dependence on milk, supporting earlier, cost-effective weaning,
• Improves feed intake and nutrient utilisation,
• Supports stronger immunity and overall health.

Future implications:

• Better growth rates and body development,
• Earlier maturity and breeding readiness,
• Higher milk production potential in adulthood,
• Lower rearing costs and improved lifetime productivity.

Early introduction of calf starter, clean water, and small amounts of good quality roughages is essential to stimulate proper rumen development.

Pic 4: A farm manager feeding a calf with calf pellets, good quality hay (grass & legume) fodder and water.

 Peris Chege- Technical Advisor

TO BE CONTINUED!!