The Milk Producer - August 2011 - (Page 43)

CALFHEALTH By Kathleen Shore Gradual weaning The best length of weaning period you choose for your calves depends on how you house them ou can help reduce the stress weaning puts on calves when you take the time to wean them gradually. You will achieve best results by choosing a weaning period based on how you house them. Weaning gives a calf time to adjust its eating patterns to include more starter. It is important to establish the right time to wean by ensuring the calf has received enough milk for optimal growth and is consuming enough starter to wean gently and not lose body condition after weaning. The Grober Young Animal Development Center compared weaning over five days and 10 days in individual or paired housing with calves fed by pail, and in group housing where calves were fed by automatic feeder. All animals were fed 150 grams per litre and up to 9 L per day of Grober Excel (26/18) milk replacer. Y Shorter period proves better for individuals or pairs Calves housed in individual and paired pens were weaned by removing one milk meal per day at the start of weaning and the remaining milk meal at the end of the period. Weaning over five days proved more successful than 10 days. Calves housed in four groups of nine were fed by an automatic milk feeder with one nipple per group. Two groups were weaned over Steps to weaning five days and two groups over 10 days. Calves weaned over 10 days calves successfully: consumed more starter—this lon1. Give them time to adjust. Weaning gradually ger period proved a better choice lets calves seek grain and water, and maintain for group-housed animals. their bodyweights. Weaning through a feeder is a 2. Adjust time to wean for housing. Use a longer gradual process. The feeder’s comperiod for calves on automatic milk feeding and a puter calculates an equal milk reshorter period for those pail feeding. duction each day until weaning. 3. Maintain consistency. A feed change is There were no significant bodystressful. Keeping as many other factors as weight differences between the consistent as possible will help reduce the stress. groups in the two weaning times. However, calves weaned over 10 days had a pattern toward Pairing animals made a difference in improved gains as shown in Table 2. starter intake. By weaning time, paired Calves weaned over five days expericalves were consuming an average enced increased illness rates at wean1.35 kg per day compared with indiing and post-weaning. vidual animals eating 0.884 kg day. University of British Columbia research by Andreia De Paula Vierira in Kathleen Shore, MSc, is nutrition and quality assurance manager at Grober Nu2010 evaluated the grouping-in-pairs trition, and a project leader at the Grober concept at weaning. There was a posiYoung Animal Development Centre. tive relationship between pairing at Table 2 Group calves Comparison between 5 and 10 day feeding regime. 10 days 85.1 0.286 93.0 1.25 97.2 2.77 1st week of weaning 2nd week of weaning 5 days Bodyweight (kg) 82.1 Grain intake (kg/day) 0.126 Bodyweight (kg) 86.6 Grain intake (kg/day) 0.374 10 days 82.1 0.326 86.8 1.16 96.2 2.65 There was no significant difference in bodyweight gains for these animals, although there was a pattern toward improved gains for calves weaned over five days as shown in Table 1. Illness rates were higher at weaning and post-weaning for calves weaned over 10 days, a possible indication of stress. weaning and grain intake. However, pairing right from the start presented significant challenges to the calves’ health for the first two weeks. Groups fare better with longer period Table 1 Individual/paired calves Comparison between 5 and 10 day feeding regime. 1st week of weaning 2nd week of weaning 5 days Bodyweight (kg) 87.7 Grain intake (kg/day) 0.359 Bodyweight (kg) 95.0 Grain intake (kg/day) 0.989 1 week Bodyweight (kg) 98.3 after weaning Grain intake (kg/day) 3.14 1 week Bodyweight (kg) 91.8 after weaning Grain intake (kg/day) 1.90 MilkPRODUCER | August 2011 | 43

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - August 2011

The Milk Producer - August 2011
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Industry Roundup
DFC Promotion
Applied Science
Ruminations
Rearing Replacements
Calf Health
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - August 2011