The importance of colostrum management protocol cannot be over-emphasised, as many scour-related issues on farm directly correlate to insufficient passive transfer.

Feeding colostrum on farm

The ‘3-2-1 Rule’ is worth recalling at this time of year:

1. Offer milk from the dam’s first milking.
2. Within the first two hours of birth.
3. Offer at least three litres (10% of birthweight).

Typically, there’s sizeable variation in colostrum quality within a herd, with Teagasc research showing that approximately 20% of a herd may have poor quality colostrum, i.e., insufficient antibodies for the calf. Many farmers have started to test colostrum quality using a refractometer to ensure calves are receiving a high-quality first feed, with the threshold of a Brix value > 22% being the quality standard.

Pooling colostrum is regularly practised on farm due to labour constraints. However, combining colostrum from several cows increases the risk of disease spread (e.g., Johnes), reduces passive transfer and dilutes high-quality colostrum. Therefore, aim to offer calves a ‘one-dam-to-one’ calf system to avoid such issues occurring.

It is also important to remember that the calf’s first opportunity to get an infection is through its navel or mouth. Therefore teats, the underbelly of the cow and contact with the calving pen bedding can become a source of infection for a new-born calf. Prolonged time spent in the calving areas is frequently a key issue with disease transfer in herds.

Recent survey results from Moorepark of 48 commerical farms highlighted that stomach tubes and bottles with teats had the greatest quantity of bacteria present.

High levels of hygiene are required when collecting, feeding and storing colostrum with research indicating that clean (no dirt contamination) colostrum allows for increased antibody absorption. Bacterial contamination competes with antibodies at gut level, resulting in reduced passive transfer.

Recent survey results from Moorepark of 48 commerical farms highlighted that stomach tubes and bottles with teats had the greatest quantity of bacteria present.

Excess colostrum can be stored in a fridge at 4°C. However, bacteria will still grow so it can only be refrigerated safely for 24-48 hours. It is an all-too-common sight to see buckets of colostrum in the parlour/dairy, where ambient conditions arise, bacterial counts can double every 20 minutes.

For more information and advice, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor here.

As spring looms ever closer, we fast approach the influx of the next generation of calves on farm. Replacement heifers born over the next few weeks will calve down in February 2027, become the herds mature stalwart cows of 2030 and the influence we can have on the beginning of their lives will long be felt regarding longevity, milk production, and overall herd health.

Year on year we will discuss, read and write about 3-2-1 rules and how important colostrum management is. Yet conversations still arise around how best to avoid scour outbreaks in sheds, anti-scour remedies etc., and as we face into another spring a back-to-basics approach should be taken with colostrum.

Get the basics right

Its important to remember that the calf’s first opportunity for infection is via its navel or mouth – and its first contact from both will happen in the calving pen. Cows’ underbelly, teats and calving pen bedding become the first source of possible infection for a new-born calf. Hence the importance of good dry cow cubicle management. Prolonged time spent in calving areas are often a key issue with disease transfer in herds, especially where unhygienic conditions as also a factor. From here, all feed equipment must be disinfected before colostrum is collected and fed. Dirt contamination of colostrum is now known to have a negative effect on passive transfer and therefore cleanliness of the collection process is vital.

Storage is also imperative – it is an all-too-common sight to see open buckets of colostrum in the parlour/dairy – and where ambient conditions arise, bacterial counts can double every 20 minutes. A dam-to-calf systems is obviously the ideal, however during extremely compact calving periods this can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Colostrum quality will vary massively between cows depending on age/parity, volume produced, dry period length, and dry cow nutrition, etc.  If we can avoid pooling and use a 1-cow to 1-calf option. At the very least where pooling occurs colostrum must be Brix tested to avoid dilution happening with poor quality colostrum.

Vaccination of the dam is also a key consideration to help reduce risks around calf health. However, it is worth noting, that passive transfer from a vaccine only occurs from dam-calf via colostrum and transition milk, so all of the above applies to get full coverage from vaccinating the herd.

Research has shown where passive transfer is 100% successful mortality rates of <5% is achievable, in stark contrast where passive transfer rates of 85-90% is achieved, mortality rates can increase to ~ 8%.
Treat colostrum management with the respect and attention it deserves.

The management of calves in the first weeks of life has a significant impact on their lifetime production, and with replacement heifers, impact their long-term profitability. The average cost of rearing a heifer to 24 months is estimated to be circa €1,553, with a significant percentage of that cost incurred during the start of life/calf-rearing period. However, regardless of spend, the first 6 months of life is crucial as during this short time a calf will reach ~ 25% of its mature weight – highlighting the importance of ensuring optimal nutrition.

Research has shown that calves reach similar weight gains on milk replacer as they do while being fed on whole milk. However, this is on the basis that the milk replacer is formulated, using high quality dairy ingredients and that feeding instructions are followed. Milk replacer labelling can, at times, be confusing, with large differences in specifications and price available on the market. However, it is important to keep several factors in mind when selecting a milk replacer to fit your system and to avoid any confusion.

The first 6 months of life is crucial as during this short time a calf will reach ~ 25% of its mature weight – highlighting the importance of ensuring optimal nutrition.

Protein Sources

Many questions centre around the percentage of protein on the label of a bag of milk replacer, which is important, but more emphasis needs to be placed on the origin of said protein %. As we are trying to replicate the role of whole milk, as much of the protein as possible should be coming from a milk/dairy-based source, relative to vegetable/plant-based sources. In a young calf’s first few weeks of life, dairy sources are much more digestible and result in greater performance. Plant-based or vegetable protein sources are cheaper alternative sources of protein and where inclusions are high, similar levels or performance to whole milk should not be expected in early life. Increased fibre content can often be indicative of plant derivatives being used in milk replacers.

Manufacturing Processes

Another often less considered factor in overall digestibility of a milk replacer is the quality of the raw dairy materials used. Low heat-treated milk powders will have natural immunoglobin content available in the product and have no protein denaturisation, relative to high heat-treated skim or whey. Low heat-treated milk products are often more expensive on the market, but again lead to increased performance/digestibility.

Fat Sources

Fat percentage and sources of fat in milk replacer are also important, as fat is the main source of energy to the calf. Coconut and palm fat are the more common sources, with great digestibility and energy respectively for young calves.

Feeding Rates

The percentage of solids in whole milk is typically 12.5% (approx), hence it is also the most common feeding rate of milk replacer on farm. This is calculated by adding youe % fat, protein and lactose in the bulk tank analysis. Fed at 6L, a calf will be consuming 750g of milk replacer daily, replicating milk solids intake from typical whole milk.

Accelerated feed programmes are often used on farm where higher Average Daily Gain (ADG) is being targeted with replacement heifers – this would include feeding a higher concentration of milk replacer (15% milk solids) or increased volumes. Once-a-day feeding schedules are becoming increasingly popular. However, once a day feeding should only ever be considered once calves are greater than one month old.

Weaning should be gradual and only ever considered once a calf is consuming more than 1.5kg/hd/day in group pen scenarios. At this point, a calf is independently consuming enough dry matter from straw & concentrate to allow for a stress-free weaning period.

For more advice on calf milk replacers, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor here. 

The management of calves in the first few weeks of life has a significant impact on their lifetime production, and with replacement heifers, impact their long-term profitability. The average cost of rearing a heifer to 24 months is estimated to be circa €1,553, with a significant percentage of that cost incurred during the start of life/calf-rearing period. However, relative to spend, the first 6 months of life is crucial: in just 7% of its lifetime, the calf will reach 25% of its mature weight – highlighting the importance of ensuring optimal nutrition.

Research has shown that calves reach similar weight gains on milk replacer as they do while being fed on whole milk. However, this is on the basis that the milk replacer is formulated correctly, using high quality dairy ingredients and that feeding instructions are followed. Milk replacer labelling and composition can, at times, be confusing, with large differences in specifications and price available on the market. However, it is important to keep several factors in mind when selecting a milk replacer to fit your system and to avoid any confusion.

Protein Sources

Many questions center around the percentage of protein on the label of a bag of milk replacer, which is important, but more emphasis needs to be placed on the origin of said protein %. As we are trying to replicate the role of whole milk, as much of the protein as possible should be coming from a milk/dairy-based source, relative to vegetable/plant-based sources. In a young calf’s first few weeks of life, dairy sources are much more digestible and result in greater performance. Plant-based protein sources are cheaper alternative sources of protein and where inclusions are high, similar levels of performance to whole milk should not be expected in early life. Increased fibre content can often be indicative of plant derivatives being used in milk replacers.

Manufacturing Processes

Another less considered factor in overall digestibility of a milk replacer is the quality of the raw dairy materials used. Low heat-treated milk powders will have natural immunoglobin content available in the product and have no protein denaturisation, relative to high heat-treated skim or whey. Low heat-treated milk products are often more expensive on the market, but again lead to increased performance/digestibility.

Fat Sources

Fat percentage and sources of fat in milk replacer are also important, as fat is the main source of energy to the calf. Coconut and palm fat are the more common sources, with great digestibility and energy respectively for young calves.

Feeding Rates

The percentage of solids in whole milk is typically 12.5% (approx), hence it is also the most common feeding rate of milk replacer on the farm. This equates to 125g of powder in 875ml water to make up 1L of feed. Fed at 6L, a calf will be consuming 750g of milk replacer daily.

Accelerated feed programmes are often used on farm where higher Average Daily Gain (ADG) is being targeted with replacement heifers – this would include feeding a higher concentration of milk replacer (5% milk solids) or increased volumes. Once-a-day feeding schedules are becoming increasingly popular. However, once a day feeding should only ever be considered once calves are greater than one month old.

Weaning should be gradual and only ever considered once a calf is consuming more than 1.5kg/hd/day in group pen scenarios. At this point, a calf is independently consuming enough dry matter from straw and concentrate to allow for a stress-free weaning period.

Learn more about our range of Calf Milk Replacers here. 

For more information, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor. 

The ultimate goal of calf rearing is to set up a heifer to achieve target weights over her lifetime in order to maximise profitability. These targets will include doubling her birthweight at the point of weaning, achieving 60% of her mature weight at breeding, and calving down at 24 months at 90% of her mature body weight.

To reach such targets, replacement heifers need to achieve a steady gain of approximately 0.75 kg/day from birth. Interruptions to performance over the calf-rearing period may offset such target weights being achieved. Therefore, adopting best practice calf rearing advice and protocols are of key importance over the next few vital weeks.

3-2-1 Rule

Good colostrum management is the most important factor in calf health and survival. Over the last 3-5 years, 70% of calves that presented for a post-mortem at regional veterinary laboratories, were found to have received either poor quality or insufficient quantities of colostrum.

When feeding colostrum, it is essential that the 3-2-1 rule is adhered to. This includes providing the calf with at a minimum of 3 litres (or 5-6% of a calf’s birth weight), within 2 hours of birth, using colostrum from the cows first milking. This process should then be repeated 8 hours later, however it is important to note that by the second milking, the dam’s immunoglobulin content will have halved.

Cleanliness of colostrum is a huge dictating factor, as the amount of dirt particles or contamination to the colostrum before entering the calf will limit the amount of immunity absorption available. Feeding pooled colostrum to calves is also not recommended as it can lead to major risk factors including increased disease risk and poor-quality colostrum entering the pool.

With this in mind, it is essential to ensure that all utensils are sterile and that milking protocols and good colostrum harvesting hygiene are applied.

Calf Hygiene and Facilities

Facilities ideally should be clean, dry, draught free, with good ventilation. A new-born calf will spend over 80% of their time lying down, therefore it is imperative to provide a deep, warm, dry bed always.

Calves should spend minimal time periods in the calving-pen to avoid picking up infection or disease. To avoid carrying disease into the calf shed over the peak calving months, set-up a wash point at the entrance to the calf shed for staff, vets, etc. Early detection of sick calves and isolation to avoid spreading bacterial infections, is also of high importance.

Rumen Development

Once a calf starts to intake water and starter concentrates/ration, we introduce healthy bacteria into the rumen which will kick-start rumen development. Starter concentrates and ad-lib fresh water should be available to the calf from three days of age. A clean source of long roughage/fibre (e.g. straw) should also be available at all times to promote dry matter intakes This forage should be offered above ground level in racks/mangers.

Weaning should only ever be considered once calves are consuming 1.5 kg of concentrates/day. Weaning calves on a weight basis, compared to an age basis, will result in a more uniform batch.

Milk Replacer Choice

When it comes to milk replacer, the three main benefits include:

1. Cost effectiveness
2. Reduced risk of disease transfer in the herd
3. Consistency in the calf’s diet

Milk replacer should be dairy derived and contain a high dairy content. Dairy proteins are more easily digestible and available to the calf compared to plant-based proteins. Both Vitalac Red and Blue Calf Milk Replacers contain a 90-95% dairy content.

Milk replacer should replicate the role of good quality whole milk, typically offered at 12.5% milk solids (E.g. 125 g powder, into 875ml clean water to make 1 litre of milk). Feeding a calf twice-a-day at 6 litres/day would result in offering the calf 750 g of powder/day.

When mixing, adhere to the milk replacer guidelines outlined below using fresh clean, warm water and sterile mixing and feeding utensils. The optimal drinking temperature of the calf milk replacer is 39°C. To prepare the milk, dissolve the powder in two-thirds of the amount of water at 55-60°C and add the remaining water at room temperature until the optimum drinking temperature is reached.

See typical milk replacer feeding guidelines below:

More Information:

For more information, browse our Vitalac Calf Milk Replacer page or download the Agritech-Milk-Replacer-Brochure (2.5MB).

Newborn calves are key to future farm profitability, therefore it is critical to optimise performance from the earliest stages. In addition to providing a clean, dry and warm environment, an early feeding strategy geared towards rumen development is key to successful calf rearing.

As all farmers know, feeding adequate amounts of colostrum to the new-born calf in a timely manner is crucial. The use of milk acidifiers is now a well-established practice on Irish farms as they promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, while restricting cultures that may cause nutritional issues. However, they are not as effective when it comes to encouraging the development of a large healthy rumen.

Managing digestive changes

To achieve optimum rumen development, it is important to introduce a high energy/protein calf starter ration from approximately 5 days of age, with free access to fresh clean water and high-quality straw. This will ensure good calf growth rates and a healthy well-developed rumen for future life. Bear in mind that once the rumen development process begins at two weeks of age, the subsequent change in digestion and gut function can make the animal highly susceptible to digestive upsets and pathogen challenges. This is where a product like as VITAMEG has many benefits.    

Vitameg is an advanced feeding supplement for young calves. It contains botanical extracts which enhances digestion and stimulates feed intake by optimising the growth of gut microbial flora to outcompete pathogens. Vitameg also contains prebiotic and yeast cell walls, commonly referred to as MOS, which helps fight against bacteria such as E-coli and salmonella. It also has added omega-3 which has shown to improve immunity and disease resistance, thereby preventing infection and stress.

Developing a large healthy rumen at this early stage will encourage the calf to consume large amounts of high-quality forage, i.e., grazed grass and silage.

Through on farm nutritional support, Agritech are available to support farmers throughout the calving season and beyond. To find out more about Vitameg, contact your local Agritech distributor or click here.

Although temperatures are beginning to rise, calves are still at risk of contracting pneumonia. Take a look at some of the common causes as well as our effective solutions below:

Causes

• Variation in high day temperatures and low night temperatures. If greater than 13°C, animals are at a higher risk of pneumonia
• Poor shed ventilation, i.e. leaving doors open in the late evening
• Overstocking sheds. As calves grow, they require more ground and air space

Solutions 

• Treat all symptoms immediately
• Provide shelter, space and keep calves rehydrated at all times
• Boost calf immunity by feeding Vitameg in both milk and feed

Vitameg

Vitameg is a feeding supplement with prebiotic and Omega-3 for young ruminants.

Vitameg’s combination of ingredients when fed to young ruminants will:

• Increase feed intakes.
• Stimulate rumen development.
• Increase daily live weight gain.
• Support calf natural defence mechanism.
• Improve digestibility

View our Vitameg brochure 

To find out more, contact your local distributor 

As we await the arrival of an ever superior generation of calves over the coming months, it is now worthwhile to take a closer look at young calf nutrition when planning ahead for the busy season.

Members of the Agritech team recently attended a Calf Performance Conference at the Blanca Research Facility in Spain which featured presentations from many renowned researchers, including Professor Alex Bach.

According to Agritech’s Sales Director, John Kenny, “From the conference, it became clear to me that at a level, we are significantly restricting the potential of our calves in this country with the level of milk replacer we feed to them. While this is fine for young calves which are destined for beef, it is totally uneconomical to take this approach with dairy female calves.

Feed efficiency runs at the rate of 60% in a young calf compared to just 7% in a pre-calving two year old heifer. I believe that our national dairy herd has much more to gain by taking a closer look at this area going forward.”

Pre-Weaning  

Farmers today are very well informed when it comes to the area of managing and feeding adequate amounts of colostrum to the new born calf in a timely manner. However, the benefits of achieving maximised weight performance from day two to weaning are far less documented in Ireland.

Let’s take an example of the calf’s mammary gland. When a dairy heifer calf is born, its mammary gland constitutes just 1% of its total body weight. If the daily live-weight gain of this calf is inadequate up to weaning, this key organ will most likely remain at this percentage. However, if calf performance is raised up to as near as possible to 1kg per head per day, the cells in this key gland will continuously split and multiply to the extent where the mammary gland will increase to approximately 2% of the calf’s body weight at 9-10 weeks of age.

While the above example highlights the mammary gland, the benefits of accelerated growth pre-weaning are applicable to all of the key organs in the young calf’s body, including heart, lungs, kidneys etc. The long term benefits of achieving a better developed calf at weaning with bigger and stronger organs are proven to deliver significant lifetime benefits through increased daily yields and improved disease immunity. It is also now widely accepted that the effects of increased growth pre-weaning on first lactation alone is circa +300 litres milk yield.

John states that that there is no such thing as compensatory growth with this approach to calf rearing. “Once the cells in each organ stop dividing at in or around the nine or ten week stage, they grow in line with the rest of the animal’s body thereafter. Farmers will only get one chance in a calf’s lifetime to secure this advantage.”

Vitalac Calf Milk Replacer

Agritech work with leaders in calf nutrition to bring a calf milk replacer range which will encourage accelerated growth and performance. Agritech’s Vitalac Calf Milk Replacer Range from Nukamel offers a well-balanced level of highly digestible fat and protein via carefully selected, high quality ingredients. These quality ingredients are further enhanced through the use of advanced techniques and technology such as Emulsizym and Spray Cooling Technology. 

Tried and tested by Teagasc at Grange Research Institute, Vitalac Milk Replacers for calves showed increases in live weight gain and concentrate intakes of 8% and 10% over other leading brands on the market. Vitalac Calf Milk Replacer is highly soluble and suitable for both bucket and/or automatic feeding systems.

For more information on the Vitalac Calf Milk Replacer Range and calf rearing, contact your local distributor or click here.