Care of the Newborn Calf

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Care of the Newborn Calf

• AVS346
• Dairy Cattle Technology
• David Marcinkowski

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Goals of Heifer Program

• Healthy cow
• Grown inexpensively
• Optimum size
• Capable of calving easily
• High genetic potential
• Ability to express that potential

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Approximate Number of Animals by Age
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Number of Replacement Heifers is Determined By

• Calf Mortality
• Reproductive Performance
• Calving interval
• Age at First Calving

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NAHMS Heifer Data
National Animal Health Monitoring System
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Colostrum Composition
Table - Composition of colostrum, transitional
milk and whole milk
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Antibody Levels and Calf Mortality
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IgG Levels in Calves
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Colostrum Feeding

• Keys
• Quality
• Quantity
• Timing

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Colostrum Quality

• Evaluate using
• Colostrometer
• Elisa tests
• Only older cows
• 18 lb Rule
• Biosecurity
• Blood test all colostrum donors
• Refrigeration - Up to 1 week
• Freezing - OK -  Good up to one year
• Thaw carefully to not harm antibodies
• Warm Water or Microwave

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Colostrometer
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Colostrum fed during the first 12 hours after
birth and heifer calf mortality

Clemson University Study
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Care at Birth

• Clean, dry maternity area
• Clean dams udder
• Be present at birth
• Disinfect navel
• Allow dam to lick calf
• Identification
• Feed colostrum
• Allow calf to dry off
• Remove calf from dam

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Navel Ill

• Umbilical infection
• Caused by coliforms
• E. coli, Klebsiella
• 0.2 of calves affected
• Clinical Signs
• Lameness
• Swollen joints
• Septic Arthritis
• Under 45 days old
• Failure of passive transfer
• Prevention
• Dip navel in tincture of iodine (gt7)
• Only 46.6 of farms dip navels

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Time Calves Remain with Dam After Birth and
Effect on Mortality

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Colostrum Substitutes

• Derived from blood or whey
• Used for biosecurity reasons
• Antibodies not specific to the bugs in your herd
• Activity of antibodies suspect in some products
• Good as supplement not as replacement

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Feeding Alternatives

• Whole milk
• Waste milk
• Milk replacer
• Fermented colostrum

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Whole and Waste Milk

• Whole milk
• Natural alternative - Good gains
• Expensive
• Pooled from number of cows
• Disease transmission Johnes and BLV
• Pasteurization
• Waste milk
• Most economical
• Antibiotic residues
• Disease transmission
• Pasteurization

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Feed Analysis of Whole Milk DM Basis

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Fermented Colostrum

• Using waste product
• Very economical - Waste product
• Good gains can be achieved
• Preserved by acid fermentation
• Need cool temperatures for storage
• Plastic storage containers
• May run short
• Smells bad
• Biosecurity??

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Milk Replacer

• Economical alternative
• Good growth rates
• Pay attention to quality
• Medicated products
• Follow mixing directions

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Milk Replacer Tag
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Protein Sources
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Fat Sources
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Feeding MR

• Daily recommendations vary
• 10-12.5 solids in mixed MR
• 8-12 of calfs body weight daily
• 80 calf
• 10 solids 8 of BW .64 lbs of MR
• 12.5 S 12 of BW 1.2 lbs.of MR
• Almost double between max and min!!

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Factor Required for Rumen Development

• Establishment of bacteria in the rumen
• Liquid in the rumen
• Outflow of material from the rumen (muscular
  action)
• Absorptive ability of the tissue
• Substrate available in the rumen

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Calf Starter
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Feeding Calf Starter

• Start feeding in first week of life
• Increase amount fed as calfs intake increases
• Feed enough for one day
• Calf can be weaned when consuming 2-3 lbs of
  starter/day

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Braden Bottles
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To Hay or Not to Hay??

• Rumen development is chemical in nature
• Scratch factor is not important until 6-7 weeks
• Hay limits intake and growth
• Most ends up as bedding

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VFA Production in Rumen
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Affect of Feeding on Rumen Development
Rumen Development at 6 Weeks of Age
Milk and Grain
Milk
Milk and Hay
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Affect of Feeding on Rumen Development
12 Weeks Of Age
Milk Hay Grain
Milk Hay
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Cold Stressed Calf

• More energy required lt50F
• Increase solids content to 15-18
• gt18 cause diarrhea
• May need to add a third feeding
• Warm MR
• Starter intake may go down with increase in MR
  solids