Cow nutrition is critical to calving success

Whether a dairy or beef herd, the ultimate goal of rearing is to get calves off to the best possible start to ensure they reach their maximum production potential.

Exposure to challenges, for example, scours or respiratory disease can eat into farm profits by negatively impacting calves’ health status and physical performance. Calf rearers are encouraged to uphold good management practices in order to effectively avoid diseases occurring in the first place.

Importance of sufficient maternal nutrition

Good calf feeding practice begins with ensuring sufficient maternal nutrition in the late months of gestation. Providing cows with sufficient minerals, vitamins and trace elements is key for the development of the unborn calf.

Of particular importance is selenium, known to support calf vigour at calving and help maintain cow health throughout the transition period. These nutrients are able to pass directly through the placenta from the cow to the calf to enhance health and immune status at birth.

Conversely, passive protection from disease and environmental pathogens in the form of antibodies is not able to reach the calf via the placenta. Immediately after birth, calves are therefore reliant on the consumption of vital colostrum as their sole source of nutrients of essential antibodies.

It is paramount that all calves receive at least 10% of the body weight of colostrum within the first two hours of life. The timing of this is critical because a newborn calf’s digestive tract is designed to allow immunoglobulins from colostrum to pass directly through the gut epithelium and into the blood.

However, after approximately 18 hours post birth, the gut starts to close up and absorption of these large proteins and antibodies becomes minimal.

Allow suckling as much as possible

Although in some circumstances additional colostrum or milk supplementation is necessary, allowing calves to suckle as much as possible directly from their dam is the most efficient method of colostrum feeding.

A cow’s colostrum quality and quantity can vary according to numerous factors, including not only her age, number of lactations and health status, but importantly her diet.

With colostrum production beginning approximately 6 weeks pre-calving and reaching a peak in the critical last two weeks of gestation, ensuring correct cow nutrition at this time is key in helping calves get off to a good start.

Successful rationing involves achieving the best possible balance of appropriate nutrients, including not only the aforementioned minerals, vitamins and trace elements, but also adequate protein and energy. These nutrients are required to meet the cow’s own body maintenance requirements whilst providing sufficient resources to initiate effective colostrum production.

Use of additives

Other nutritional supplements may also be incorporated into the dry cow’s diet to help optimise colostrum production. These include additives such as mannan-oligosaccharides or yeast beta-glucans which are documented to support the cow’s immune function, allowing her to maximise nutrient partitioning into colostrum production.

Providing good levels of dietary energy and adequate minerals post-calving is equally important for calving success. Specifically to support the cow’s recovery and optimise her fertility as she prepares for the next pregnancy. 

Ensuring cow dietary requirements are met both pre and post-calving each season is therefore fundamental for producers to optimise calf output and profitability on farm.