The arrival of another busy calving period means the next few weeks represent a critical time for cows and calves alike. Both need the best nutritional support possible to meet upcoming milestones successfully and ensure optimum levels of productivity throughout the seasons.
Supporting your cows’ productivity
Energy demands for cows are at an all time high as they transition from pregnancy to lactation and a lack of vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in their diet can severely affect not only their performance but their offspring’s as well.
Research (and common sense) tells us that well-fed cows hold condition better through lactation. If she has been transitioned well, the cow will come into lactation with higher rumen capacity and lowered risk of developing metabolic diseases, such as milk fever and ketosis. A well-fed pre-calving cow is also more likely to produce a healthier calf.
It is essential that a cow eats as much good-quality feed as possible during this time in order to maintain condition, produce milk, and drive the hormones required over the coming weeks to become pregnant again.
Transition and early lactation requires a diet high in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as adequate trace element levels. Rumen buffers can also be very useful in stabilising rumen pH over this time, as these allow higher rumen performance without risking sub-acute acidosis, a common problem in early lactation. Effective supplementation can be determined by feed and soil tests and research on nutrient requirement levels at different levels of production.
Setting your calves up for life
Our goal with calf nutrition is to develop the rumen so it can absorb and convert nutrients from eating grass and feed once weaned. Calves receiving the correct balance of vitamins and minerals will achieve growth targets, directly impacting production and reproductive performance as they mature.
The quality of colostrum calves receive from their dams in their first 24 hours is influenced by the cow’s nutrition. High-quality colostrum is vital as this provides passive immunity to help calves fight off infections for the first months of life as their own immune systems develop.
The biggest risk to a young calf is disease, and most commonly scours. The most efficient way to prevent this potentially fatal disease is by feeding a nutritional blend of key amino acids, minerals, and vitamins easily dosed through milk.
When it comes to hard feeding, calves need vitamins A, D and E, as well as important B group vitamins. High-quality supplements formulated especially for calf growth and health should contain trace minerals, such as cobalt, copper, selenium, iodine, manganese, iron, and zinc.
By giving calves a nutritionally-balanced diet in the first weeks of their life, you’re setting them up to achieve all productivity milestones as they mature.
Cow and calf health is inextricably linked and both rely on optimum nutrition. A well-laid nutritional plan is the most effective way of ensuring superior performance at every stage of your animal’s life.
Article: Chris Balemi, Agvance Nutrition. First published in Dairy News, May 2023