Start feeding pellets straight away for optimal rumen development

Start feeding pellets immediately after the colostrum period – pellets made from maize meal, soya meal and beet pulp – and ensure gradual transitions between feeds and the correct balance between milk powder and pellets. These are factors that contribute to the ideal rumen development in breeding calves.

Start giving your calves water and pellets from day three. That is the advice of young stock specialist Henk Sijtsma. “As the rumen papillae start to develop as early as the second week after birth, it is important that the calf is already able to eat pellets by then. Even though the calves do not consume much in the first few weeks, research shows that it is still worthwhile to start feeding them in the first week. The sooner you start with pellets, the quicker the calf will be able to process them – and the quicker it will subsequently be able to process roughage. And the more efficiently it can utilise roughage at 22 months.” As a rule of thumb, Henk recommends that around twenty kilos of pellets should have passed through the rumen before you start feeding roughage. “A little hay during the first few weeks adds volume to the rumen, but efficient nutrient uptake from roughage is only possible once the rumen papillae are sufficiently developed. If all goes well, the calf can already consume one kilo of pellets per day by week six. You can then gradually reduce the milk ration and increase the pellet ration to two kilos. Once the calves are taking that, you can wean them.”

This is the ideal calf feed

Denkavit has been conducting research for many years into the ideal combination of calf feed pellets and calf milk. This research has shown that these three ingredients are the most important for a calf feed pellet that promotes optimal rumen development:

1. Energy from maize flour
2. Energy from soya meal
3. Raw cellulose from beet pulp (mainly low-sugar pulp from the Netherlands or Austria

Ideally, these three ingredients should be listed among the top three on the label.

Gradual changes in diet

As well as starting early, a gradual transition to the new feed regime is very important for rumen development. For example, if you wish to feed the dairy calf ration after weaning, you should start introducing it gradually during the lactation period to prevent acidification. “Acidosis causes the rumen papillae to shrink again, which is a significant setback in rumen development.” Gradually phasing out milk powder over a three-week period is also a key consideration in this regard.

Don’t forget about water either

Milk goes into the abomasum, and feed goes into the rumen. The microbes in the rumen ferment the feed and need water to do so. Unlimited, clean and fresh water is therefore important. An additional benefit is that a good fluid balance helps the immune system to function more effectively and ensures that the mucous membranes – for example, in the eyes, gut and nose – remain at the correct thickness.

A clever combination of calf feed and milk powder

Choose a smart combination of pellets and Denkamilk. “Sometimes it makes sense to feed less milk in combination with a premium pellet,” says Henk, who points out that this can also be financially beneficial. So feel free to ask your own Denkavit specialist to help you find the ideal combination of calf milk and calf pellets for your farm.