Now that the breeding season is underway for the autumn calving herd, it is important to maintain high standards for the autumn-born calves over the next couple of weeks.
The breeding season for many winter milking herds gets underway today (Friday, December 20) for cows to calve down on October 1.
In order for the first cow to calve down on October 1, based on the average gestation length of 285 days, serving cows would have to start today.
The aim for any breeding programme is to improve on milk solids, while also improving on fertility traits, such as calving interval and a six-week calving rate.
However, even though the breeding season is now underway, it is important to get the management of calves right this autumn for their development and to ensure that growth targets are achieved.
When calves are being reared, they move from getting most of their nutrients from milk to solid food, such as grass/silage/hay or concentrates.
Autumn calving
Although there are still cows calving away on farms, many farmers are in the process of weaning off the first few that came in early October.
Getting the early management of calves correct is important for their development and ensures that they can become members of the future milking herd.
During the first weeks of life, a calf is dependent on milk as a source of nutrition, with the digestion of milk occurring in the abomasum.
Young calves have little to no rumen capacity in early life and careful nutritional management before weaning ensures that the rumen develops to allow the transition to an entirely solid diet.
Successful weaning is a balancing act between achieving an adequate growth rate and promoting rumen development.
Before a calf is weaned, they should be eating at least 1kg of calf starter crunch a day for at least three consecutive days.
Generally, gradual weaning is achieved by reducing the volume of milk fed over a period of seven to 10 days and if calves are being fed milk twice a day, weaning can be achieved by cutting down to once-a-day feeding.
Calves should eating the following amount of calf starter meal per age:
Age Starter intakes 0 to two weeks Minimal Two to three weeks Start to increase Five weeks 0.5kg/day Six to eight weeks 0.7-1kg/day Eight weeks At least 1kg/day
Calves should also have access to hay or straw as a bit of roughage in the diet is also very important for the development of the rumen.
Calves can be weaned once they are consistently consuming 1kg of meal/day and this level of intake can potentially be reached at an age of six to eight weeks if access to palatable starter and water is available ad lib and the calf is healthy thriving.