It Pays to Precondition Calves Early for Colder Weather

It may seem strange to start planning for colder weather in July, but depending on where you live, that’s probably what you should be doing.

We understand a lot more than we used to about calves’ nutritional needs in cold weather. When the mercury drops, they need more calories to regulate their body temperature and still support immune function and growth. As a general rule, those extra needs kick in when the lowest temperature in a 24-hour period is 50°F or less, as part of the regular, seasonal weather change.

But what if we could help calves stay ahead of the curve by boosting their nutrients before the cooler weather hits, so they are better prepared to handle it? What if we didn’t force them to try to play “catch up” (they can’t) as they adjust to lower temperatures? It turns out we can.

Based on the normal weather in your area, you can start ramping up nutrients about a month before you expect to hit that consistent 50-degree-low temperature threshold. You can use a number of strategies to do this:

• Increase liquid feed volume

• Switch to a higher-fat milk replacer formulation

• Increase milk replacer concentration

• Use a fat supplement to increase calories in the milk replacer formulation

All of these approaches should be discussed with your Infant Animal Specialist, or herd nutritionist, to determine the best strategy for your calves. For example, boosting fat alone probably won’t get the job done completely. Carbohydrates also are vital for ramping up nutrient intake. Together, they add up calories, which are a form of heat to deliver the ultimate goal, which is energy.

To guide these decisions, remember that as ambient temperature drops below 50°F, calves need approximately 1% more energy for every degree colder in the 24-hour low. Jersey calves may need even more additional energy than Holsteins.

Starting this process in advance of the weather shift can help you accomplish two things: (1) calves will be stronger, heavier, and better equipped to handle the environmental changes; and (2) gain will be achieved more economically, because feed efficiency in warmer weather is much higher. It takes far less feed to achieve a pound of gain at ambient temperatures of 65-70°F compared to 30°F. The window between 50-degree days and 30-degree days is the ideal period in which to precondition for colder weather at your best feed-cost efficiency, while also preventing future health issues.

By preconditioning calves for cold weather early, you can achieve more gain in less time, using less feed, and reducing morbidity and mortality, all while sending strong, healthy animals into the winter months ahead.

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