Calf and Heifer Rearing Feeds

Rearing the Replacement Dairy Heifer  

Calves are the future of the dairy herd, their feeding and management should reflect this fact. Holsteins need to be managed correctly from birth in to reach their genetic potential. It is impossible to make up lost ground later on. Heifers should be grown rapidly to calve at 80% - 90% of mature body weight or at least 600kg at 24 months old. Calving under weight heifers is a very expensive option, which will limit lifetime milk yields and reduce profits.

Feeding the Calf (0 - 12 weeks) - Calf growth and development during the first 12 weeks of life lays down the foundation for the future dairy herd. Ensure that calves receive 3 litres of colostrum immediately after birth followed by a further 3 litres of colostrum 12 hours later. Pay attention to management, feeding and environment. Dry beds, and good ventilation are essential. Calves should have access to straw and water at all times  Feed plenty of high quality protein and energy to ensure rapid growth. We recommend the use of a high quality milk replacer, but where waste cows milk is used ensure that vitamin and mineral supplementation is adequate. A high quality calf concentrate should be available at all times. Addition of a live yeast supplement from birth throughout rearing is highly beneficial in order to maximize growth rates.

Feeding the Young Heifer (12 weeks - Puberty) - The aim should be to achieve fast efficient growth from birth to puberty. Grow frame not fat. Feeding plenty of quality protein e.g. soya along with a generous supply of energy will result in large framed heifers, able to be calved at an earlier age. The rumen is not fully functional until around 9 months of age. Until then calves cannot fully utilize forage or utilize soluble nitrogen or degradable protein from grass silage. In fact there is a high energy cost associated with excreting excess nitrogen as urea when excess degradable protein is fed. For heifers less than 6 months old 3kg - 4kg of a high quality concentrate should be fed with ad lib straw. Under nutrition during the first 12 months restricts the growth of the pelvis. This is a common problem which when accompanied with over conditioning and laying down fat later on will result in difficult calvings. Heifers should be served when they reach a height of 50 inches at the withers at around 13 - 15 months old. Frame size is more important than live weight. Avoid delayed service once heifers have reached target size. Late calving heifers are expensive to produce, are prone to over-conditioning and difficult calvings and have lower lifetime milk yields. Ensure adequate mineral and energy supplementation and avoid feeding excess degradable protein from forage which may result in high blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Never feed spoiled or badly fermented silages.

Feeding the In-Calf Heifer - Aim to grow rapidly on high quality forage, but avoid over-conditioning by restricting the energy density of the diet where necessary. Grow fit not fat. Ensure that mineral supplementation is adequate throughout and introduce to the dry cow or transition groups at least 3 - 4 weeks before calving.

RWN Calf & Rearing Feed Range

Onceaday -  a recent addition to our range is proving highly popular with our customers. Dairy farmers are facing ever greater pressure on their time. The Onceaday milk feeding system developed by Golden Vale, offers the opportunity to feed a reduced volume of concentrated milk mix once a day thereby reducing labour inputs. In addition there are clear advantages in terms of healthier calves, increased dry feed intakes, less bedding as a result of drier beds, earlier weaning and growth rates improved by up to 30%. The range consists of two high quality milk powder products Onceaday mix with water or Onceaday mix with milk. The latter is designed to mix with cows milk where surplus milk is available. The system is proving both much more cost effective and producing healthier, stronger calves than conventional rearing.

Pye Calf Milk Powder Range - produced in South Wales is based on Concentrated Milk Protein which has clear advantages over most Skim or Whey products. We have had excellent result from feeding the Pye Calf Milk Powder Range both with twice day feeding systems and with calf powder machine feeding systems.

Trouw's Milkivit Calf Milk Range - contains GREENLINE shown to reduce the incidence of calf scour and to increase the calves natural immunity to disease. It stimulates feeding, improves digestion and optimizes growth potential. Modern calf milk powder has clear advantages over feeding whole milk both in terms of cost and performance. 

Dry Feeds - We supply a full range of quality coarse calf mixes, calf pellets and rearing nuts and rearing blends available both in bags and in bulk designed to suit a wide range of rearing systems. We also specialize in providing heifer rearing minerals formulated specifically to meet the requirements of the individual farms own forage. If heifers are to achieve optimum growth rates it is essential that they receive an adequate supply of nutrients throughout their rearing period. Failure to supplement heifers at grass all too often results in failure to achieve their potential.

Accelerated Growth Programme -  Accelerating the growth of heifers offers tremendous scope to increase the performance and profitability of dairy herds in the UK. Reducing the age of calving by 2 months has been estimated to be worth over £200 per heifer reared. Increasing the size of the heifer at calving offers even greater benefits in terms of increased milk yields as well as reduced metabolic problems during the subsequent lactation. It is also far more efficient to grow heifers before they calve than during their first lactation. Accelerated Growth involves using specially formulated diets in order to obtain a larger framed heifer rather than an over conditioned or fat heifer suffering from 'fatty udder'. RWN AGP Coarse is a specialist coarse calf and heifer supplement designed specifically as part of an accelerated growth programme for dairy heifers.

FIAM Nutri-Plus for Calves - Stop Viral Pneumonia

Nutri-Plus is a supplement based on carefully selected natural herbs, essential oils and plant extracts. Nutri-Plus provides nutrition designed to boost the calves immune system. Trials have shown that ingredients used in Nutri-Plus improve the calf's natural ability to fend off disease resulting in general disease protection, better respiratory health and higher growth rates.

Field trials during 2004, 2005 and 2006 were conclusive. Calves that had been badly affected by Virus Pneumonia stopped coughing after 3 - 5 days with subsequent good health.

Customers using the system, report that Nutri-Plus provides good control and prevention of Virus Pneumonia and other potential health related problems and consequently results in improved performance and accelerated growth rates.

Nutri-Plus is a complementary feedingstuff designed to support the general health of the calf and thus maximize growth potential. Nutri-Plus consists of two distinct products, one for adding to milk or milk replacer and one for adding to dry follow on feeds. Feeding from birth to 6 months of age is recommended to obtain the maximum benefits of improved health and accelerated growth rates.

Key Benefits of Nutri-Plus:

• Supports the immune system
• Aids the protection of the animal against disease
• Promotes respiratory and gastro-intestinal health
• Helps relieve stress
• Increases anti-oxidant uptake
• Accelerated growth
• Fewer heifers calving down with compromised health

Richard Webster Nutrition Ltd offers a full nutritional support package free of charge to our customers along with the most extensive range of high quality feed inputs available.

Working together for a more profitable future 

Top of this page

Back to Products Menu

Full Website Menu