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in
on March 7, 2025 Can we feed calves better?
Research and the experiences of progressive calf managers have shown the benefits of feeding more milk. However, this practice has not always been successful, particularly in calves managed in individual pens or hutches. These systems rely on feeding twice and rarely three times a day, frequently with long intervals between feedings. Weaning is challenging as this is most often achieved by shifting calves to once a day feeding for a week or less before ceasing to feed milk. We must remember that this is a young mammal, no different from a beef calf, foal, or other neonate that functions best when fed smaller, more frequent meals. Biological goals for “normal” nutrition are compromised by the desire to reduce daily feed costs. Calves fed twice a day are extremely vocal which we have come to accept as “normal” when it indicates a stressful condition.
Can the autofeeder do it better?
One of the greatest attributes of the autofeeder system is the ability to “design” and implement a more normal feeding regime. We are often concerned with overfeeding calves early in life because it results in more manure with less dry matter (scours). This might be quite normal as the calf’s digestive system is developing and there are various other factors which influence these symptoms more than just feeding more milk. The 40 fit program was developed in Europe and the “40” was used as typically calves are allowed to consume milk or milk replacer ad libitum for the first 40 days of life. However, the autofeeder limits the amount of milk that the calf can drink in one meal to ~2L every 2 hours. This system allows the calf to decide when to drink and prevents it from consuming a large volume of milk in one meal. What do we see with milk intake?
The figure below shows milk intake and drinking speed for a calf in an autofeeder system.
As one would expect there is quite a bit of variation in intake from day to day and between calves. The system allows the calf to adapt to changes in the environment and to time of day. It is not surprising to see calves consume over 12L of milk/ day by 2 weeks of age, while others may peak at only 6 – 8L. Typically, in North America, the “ad lib” program is limited to less than 40 days. Another added benefit of the autofeeder is measuring drinking speed. “Slow” drinking speed may be an early sign of disease!
Weaning with the autofeeder. How to encourage starter intake and weaning? One feeding plan involves reducing milk from ad lib (~12L) to 7 or 8L/day over 4 days beginning after 21 to 40 days in the autofeeder group. This plan tends to stimulate calf starter intake. Maintain this reduced feeding level for 10 days and then gradually reduce milk allotment to 2L over the next 14 days. The given intervals can be adjusted depending on the performance desired by the dairy business. The advantage of the autofeeder is that this system is so much less stressful for the calf.
What does this feeding plan achieve? With higher milk intake in smaller meals early in life, average daily gain tends to be more nutritionally efficient as a smaller proportion of the nutrient intake is used for maintenance leaving more available for body weight gain. Typically, body weight gain includes greater fat deposition which is desirable for the younger calf. Why? Many neonates will experience an incidence of scours, respiratory disease or other challenges which may impact dietary intake or their nutrient requirements. Having a reserve of body fat provides a reserve of energy to draw upon under these conditions. Consider it as like the dairy cow mobilizing body fat during early lactation when intake doesn’t provide sufficient nutrients to support high milk production!
Starter intake. Starter intake during the first month of life is negligible under nearly any calf management system. One advantage of group housing systems with autofeeders is that calves “learn” from their pen mates about calf starter and usually begin consuming it earlier in life. The sharp but modest drop in milk allotment at 21 to 40 days encourages starter intake. A gradual reduction in milk as compared to feeding the calf once and day and weaning at 8 vs. 6 weeks has shown benefits in average daily gain, health, and higher rumen pH.
Social development. Research at the Universities of British Columbia, Kentucky, Penn State and Guelph has documented that calves reared in either groups or pairs adapt to new situations and feeds more readily than calves reared in hutches. Anyone who has moved calves from individual pens or hutches to a group pen can recognize that this is a stressful time. Depending on group size and area the calves will spend hours “celebrating” their newfound freedom by running into each other, fences, and any other obstructions. Is it a surprise that we see more respiratory and digestive disease in calves between 60 and 90 days of age when calves are housed individually prior to weaning? Autofeeder calves have already acclimated to a graduate reduction in milk and living in groups, so the stress of moving them from one location to another has less of an impact.
Diet consistency. This is one factor not considered on many calf rearing operations. The autofeeder achieves greater consistency in solids level as powder is weighed and water flow measured for each meal. Temperature regulation is within a very narrow range. It’s important to remember that the autofeeder has these capabilities only when properly maintained and equipment calibrated frequently. Although many calf ranches have evolved sophisticated equipment for achieving consistency, many systems on dairies rely on volumetric measures or utilize “estimated” water temperatures. Autofeeder systems are equally prepared for utilizing whole milk and delivering it accurately and at the desired temperature. Additionally, milk replacer, water and whole milk can be successfully blended to achieve the desired solids level and temperature!
No system is perfect though. The beauty of the autofeeder system is that when recommended sanitation procedures are followed, the facility is well ventilated and a well-bedded resting area is provided, the calf manager can focus on monitoring calves rather than spending time mixing milk, delivering it, and cleaning up after each feeding. Deciding to utilize an autofeeder system has the potential to have a long-term payout in improved health, efficiency of growth, enhanced first and later lactation yield and improved labor efficiency and satisfaction. Economics of the calf program warrant more serious consideration of the autofeeder system.
See our next post on labor and autofeeder systems.
