Denkacare Vitalrecover and Vitalfort to optimally hydrate your calves

Denkamilk calves - 30 October 2024

Raising calves can be challenging, especially in the early stages of life when they are most vulnerable to diseases. Denkacare products are specially developed to support your calves during this initial period. Electrolytes are used to optimise the fluid balance of calves. The composition of an electrolyte product must be adjusted to the specific cause of the imbalance, such as diarrhoea or stress. Denkavit offers two suitable products for this: Vitalrecover and Vitalfort. When should you choose which product and why?

Vitalrecover – To support digestive disorders (diarrhoea)

Diarrhoea can be caused by various pathogens, such as protozoa (Cryptosporidium), viruses (Coronavirus or rotavirus), or bacteria (Escherichia coli) (Blanchard, 2012). Common symptoms associated with diarrhoea include dehydration and the development of metabolic acidosis. Mortality is common in severe cases of dehydration, and calves with diarrhoea can lose 1% to 10% of their body weight (NASEM, 2021). To support your calves with diarrhoea, it is essential to intervene quickly with an electrolyte that not only efficiently hydrates (as a calf in such a situation struggles to absorb enough fluids) but also restores the acid-base balance in the blood. A disturbed acid-base balance can lead to problems such as metabolic acidosis, which can hinder feed intake and the overall development of the calf. Denkacare Vitalrecover is specially developed to provide this dual action. Read more about Vitalrecover here.

Infographic of a calf drinking Vitalrecover, surounded with the benefits of Denkavit Denkacare Vitalrecover such as rehydration, support of digestive system and highly soluble and tasty

Vitalfort – Stimulates water intake and supports in stressful situations

Not only sick calves benefit from electrolytes. A palatable electrolyte also stimulates water intake. Calves that have early access to (clean) drinking water have better concentrate intake and rumen development (Wickramasinghe et al., 2019). Additionally, there are other situations where calves can be further supported by giving electrolytes. Think, for example, of transport, which can lead to stress and dehydration (Goetz et al., 2023), but calves can also experience heat and cold stress. Growth can be limited during these periods, as calves use more energy and will actually consume less feed. In situations like these, Vitalfort can be given to stimulate water intake and replenish the electrolyte balance. Read more about Vitalfort here.