The importance of a high-quality calf ration should not be an underestimated part of any calf-rearing enterprise on farms.

A calf starter ration should be palatable, of high quality and competitively priced.

The feeding of colostrum and a high-quality milk replacer is also vital in providing young calves with the best start in life. But it is then important that calves are offered forage and concentrates.

Calf ration

Calves should be offered a small amount of ration from three days of age. This should be kept fresh and replaced daily.

As calves develop the amount of ration they consume will increase. Start with a handful per calf and increase this as the animal develops.

The aim is to get a balance between encouraging the calf to eat the ration, while not wasting food or overwhelming the calf.

Continue to increase the amount of concentrates fed to the calf up to a level of 1kg at weaning.

Ration type

Teagasc research has determined that calves will eat coarse ration more willingly than pellets. A course ration encourages more chewing and saliva secretion.

In addition, calves fed a coarse starter mix eat more and have been shown to have higher weight gains than those fed pellets.

The coarseness also benefits growth of the muscle layers in the rumen wall.

When selecting a ration for calves, some ingredient that should be included are flaked maize; rolled barley; peas; processed soya; beet pulp; linseed flakes; molasses; and a pelleted protein balancer.

Calf development

Just like feeding any form of concentrates, it is important that the calf has access to fresh water.

Calves should have access to water at all times and like all other troughs they should be checked and cleaned out regularly.

Calves should have access to fresh hay or straw as access to forage is also important for rumen development.

The hay or straw should be off the floor and not come into contact with the bedding. Calves eating their bedding should be avoided, as this may be an access point for bacteria to get into the calf.