Mola plus combined_educational_material

Effective Fodder
Utilization and
Nutrients
Supplementation in
Dairy Farming
By Henry M Ambwere
MolaPlus Ltd
www.molaplus.com

Introduction
In East and Central Africa,
feeding both dairy and beef
animals has been quite
a constrain. The region,
just like the rest of the African
continent, suffers lack of
quality feeds
Introduction

What’s more, the poor
quality often found is not
sufficient– there is quite
some during the rainy
season and hardly any
during the dry season.

Stakeholders in the
agriculture sector have
tried to address the
above. However, there
has been a gap

:that of maximizing extraction
of nutrients and minerals
from the feeds and
supplementing the essential
crude protein, energy,
minerals, vitamins and micro-
organisms associated with
feed utilization.

The above has, for
decades, challenged the
establishment of a
strong, vibrant and
sustainable dairy
industry in the region.

Farmers have not been
able to reap maximum
returns from their
investment in the
sector.

For farmers to succeed in
their business of dairying,
it is of essence that they
make deliberate efforts to
supply the required
nutrients to their animals
in season and out of season

.
What’s more, they should
ensure that the nutrients
available are properly
utilized
– as little as possible are
wasted through cow dung.

Being ruminants, dairy cows
have the ability to convert low
quality roughage into milk and
meat
Utilization of feeds by
dairy animals

Their stomachs have
four
compartments namely:
rumen, reticulum,
omasum and
abomasums.

The rumen, Reticulum
and omasum are called
the fore stomach. These
three chambers are
inhabited by microbes
(micro-organisms).

The same (read: microbes)
break down the fibrous
(cellulose) part of the feed and
other complex carbohydrates
that form the larger part of
what they eat, thus making
the nutrients and minerals
therein available for the cows.

One drop of the liquid
found in the rumen has
between 16 and 40 billion
microbes. For effective
digestion
and nutrients extraction, the
higher their population,
the better the nutrients
extraction.

Rumen Microbe
• A cow, from
microbes alone, is
able to make up to
2.5kgs of pure
bypass microbial
protein per day.
That is a lot of
protein
Tho se
that
expire
fo rm
Micro bial
Pro tein

While a cow with a
population of 16 billion of
microbes per drop of rumen
liquid would have pieces of
undigested grains or
evidence of poorly digested
grass

, that with a population
of
40 billion per drop
would
have finely done dug
– an indication of more
effective digestion.

While the former would
have
sizable heap of
dung, the latter’s dung
compared to the former
is smaller

The high population of
microbes in the rumen
serve another very
important purpose- that
of producing microbial
protein.

The microbes that expire are
utilized by the ruminants as
microbial proteins. Every day,a
cow produces an average
of 2.5kg of pure microbial
protein.
This greatly subsidizes
the cow’s daily requirement
for the same.

Supplementing essential
microbes always
ensures feeds are
effectively utilized.
Overlooking this leads to
nutrient wastage
through cow dung

.
As a farmer makes efforts
to ensure he has enough
fodder for both wet and dry
season, she should equally
invest in ensuring that the
same is effectively utilized.

Benefits of supplementing
Microbe
• A farmer
supplementing
MolaPlus Livestock
Microbes maximizes
nutrients extraction,
increases milk
production and
speeds up the
growth of his
animals. Her cows’
cow dung output is
minimal
• Without microbe
supplementation,
most of what a
farmer buys to feed
her cow passes
through the system
unutilized. The
energy, protein,
minerals and
vitamins form the
sizable dung

With the absence of enough
rumen microbes, most of
the feed a cow takes
usually pass out partly
digested. This is evident in
the big volume of cow dung

The wasted nutrients
lead to loss of milk,
meat, heifers and of
course man hours,
physical and financial
resources.

Every dairy farmer should
address the issue of fodder
utilization by deliberately
seeking to maximize nutrients
extraction. Efforts towards this
end will help minimize loss of
the nutrients he provides
through dung.

Further, a dairy farmer
should know that a high
producing dairy cow,
particularly in the
early lactation do not
consume enough feed to
support maximal
production of milk.

The cow due to the above,
require assistance to
access
enough nutrients.
The assistance is possible
through nutrients and
microorganism
supplementation.

The source of dietary crude
protein (CP) and energy fed
to dairy cows significantly
influences the utilization
of nitrogen and energy in the
rumen and the passage
of nutrients to the small
intestines.

Microbial protein synthesis
in the rumen is insufficient
to meet protein and amino
acid need of high
producing dairy animals.

To address the above,
there is need to include
protein that escapes
ruminal degradation in
the feeds in order to
maximize milk
production.

This is why bypass protein (
such as microbial protein)
is important. However, for
effective feed utilization,
both rumen degradable and
bypass protein should be
included.

By introducing more
selected effective micro
organisms in the rumen
through supplementation,
one is able to maximize on
nutrients extraction from
the feeds and supplements.

This is because these
selected beneficial microbes
are known to digest the
cellular materials that form
the bulk of fodder– which
comprises the largest per
cent of what cows feed on.

What Microbes Do
MolaPlus Livestock
Microbes
• enhance feed
utilization, increase
protein synthesis,
enhance the digestive
process of ruminants,
improve microbial
activity in the rumen,
lead to increased milk
production, increase
feed palatability
Now Available in Uganda
• thanks to such
bacteria as
lactic and
phototropic
bacteria) and
enhanced
growth of all
farm animals.

Most important, including
microbes into the feed of
ruminants increases its
nutritional value thus:
-It introduces substantial
amount of Microbial
Protein,

-The Microbes, through
their secretions
introduce substantial
amount of simplified sugars
thus increasing energy in
the feed
-The microbes secret a lot
of beneficial enzymes

-The microbes secret a
lot of vitamins, and
-Usually, they are
accompanied by trillions
of beneficial protozoa

When inoculated (in some parts
of the world such as America
they are referred to as
inoculants) into feeds of
ruminants, they reduce dung
output by almost half in about
ten days of constant use.
The cow’s skin luster greatly
improves.

Managing a dairy cow
•In modern
management of dairy
farming there should
be supplementation of
nutrients, minerals and
beneficial microbes.

High yielding dairy animals
will only produce optimum
milk if they are offered feeds
of right quality and quantity.
They should be fed
appropriately during all
stages of growth, production
and maturity.

When the above is done,
they would bear one
calf a year, and
produce optimum milk
per lactation.

The quality and quantity of
the available fodder in the
region cannot be relied upon
to sustain a high yielding
dairy cow which in most times
is lactating, carrying a calf
and sometimes still growing.

Poor dairy management
causes farmers to lose
milk, meat, growth rate
and overall body
condition mainly during
the dry season.

Strategic fodder
utilization, nutrients
and microbes
supplementation
should help check
these.

To sustain production
levels, there is need for
proper Feeding and proper
nutrients and microbes
supplementation.
Addressing the above
guarantees a dairy farmer:

•More milk,
•More calves, and
•Healthier dairy cows.

In most parts of Africa
dairy cows are fed on
highly ligneous post
harvest crop residue
such as maize stovers,
straws, seed cakes and
germs

These, unaided are difficult for
an animal to digest and bring
them to end-products of
digestion that can be transported
to the other parts of the body for
cow nourishment hence the need
for beneficial microbes

The higher the population of
micro-organisms associated
with this breakdown, the
more effective the digestion of
these cellulose and
carbohydrates which form ¾
of all dry matter fed to
ruminants.

The micro organisms in the
fore stomach work on the
feed to break it into a state
that can dissolve in water
and be transported to the
various parts of the body.

This is where water
becomes important.
It dissolves or suspends
the nutrients and
carries them from one
part of the animal to the
other.

Those carbohydrates
are the main source
of heat and energy
for animals.

The aim of supplementing
micro organisms is to
increase their population,
enhance digestion,
Maximize nutrients
extraction and thus
minimize wastage.

Further, there is need to
frequently include micro
organism in the feed
because animals lose
millions of these
organisms through cow
dung.

Good Quality Feed
• If the animal
takes feed of
poor quality,
she loses
productivity.
The quality of a
feed is measured
by the amount of
energy, the
amount of protein,
the amount of
minerals, and the
amount of
vitamins in it.

She spends time and energy
crushing trash
only to get less than her
body’s requirement.

To help avail the above,
supplementation becomes
handy as not all forage /
feed have the same amount
of nutrients.

. What’s more, forage can
be having nutrients, but
it may be less palatable
causing animals not to
take much voluntarily.

It should be noted that not all
the quantity of forage eaten by
a cow can be digested and
absorbed. Some of the
digested forage is wasted as in
a case where the animal
expels the same from the
system because it contains
toxins.

Nutrients and Microbes
Supplementation
Proper supplementation
should therefore aim at:

.Increasing the amount of
energy,protein,minerals and
vitamins;
•Increasing the palatability of
the feed (e.g., by adding
molasses, salt etc) to enable
the animal take sufficient
amount of the same
voluntarily;

• Improving digestibility
of the feed by adding
microbes;
• Increasing feed
absorption by ensuring the
animal takes enough water;

•Reducing wastage by
increasing palatability,
and
•Checking toxicity by
use of binders and
inhibiting microbes.

A Non- pregnant
Lactating Dairy
Cow

In a non-pregnant lactating
cow, nutrients available
in the digested forage and
feed supplements are
mainly used for
maintaining
The body of the cow, and
for milk production.

In feeding a non- pregnant
lactating cow for milk, a
farmer should feed energy,
protein, minerals, vitamins
and water above the body
maintenance requirement

Inadequate feeding in the
above case denies a farmer
milk and greatly affects calf
reproduction since the cow
will not come on heat on
time resulting in a calve
interval of longer than a
year

.
The same implies loss of
calves due to poor feeding.
Available fodder is never
enough to supply
the animal with all her
body requirements and
those of her calve.

In pregnant lactating cows:
•The first priority of nutrients
allocation is given to
maintenance of the body;
•The second priority goes
to the growth of the
unborn calf and

•The third priority is
given to milk
production.
Inadequate feeding in
this case results in low
milk production.

To maximize returns from a
dairy cow, a farmer must
feed a balanced diet that
comprises
of forage, roughage,
concentrates, minerals,
vitamins, and water.

Forage includes all plant
materials used to feed
livestock. They include
grasses such as Napier and
tress leaves. Forage with high
fiber content is called
roughage. Lush forage with
high water is called fodder

Preserved forage includes hay
and silage. Crop residue such
as maize stover’s and straws
are usually treated with urea
or molasses to improve their
nutritive value, and improve
their palatability.

Proper Utilization
of preserved feed

For animals to properly
utilize :
•Straws;
•Maize stover, and
•Hay

They should be assisted
by increasing the
population of beneficial
micro-organisms
in the fore stomach.

The above calls for
supplementation of micro-
organizations. Maize stovers,
and cobs, various types of
grass, bran (mainly found in
dairy meals), straws etc,
consist of cellular and other
complex compound that are
difficult to digest.

Animals need a lot of
energy to digest them –
the energy they would
have used to make milk.
This is why they need
supplementation of
microbes

Dry forage should
form the bulk of feed.

Since legumes such as
Lucerne
are richer in nitrogen
than other grasses,
it is advisable to feed the
animal a mixture of grasses
and legumes.

Roughage is plant feed
with high fiber content.
The same (Read: fiber) is an
important compound
of ruminant feed because it
is
necessary for normal
functioning of the rumen.

If the diet of a cow is too
low
in fiber, milk fat
decreases,
and the animal will
have problems with
digestion

If the diet is too high
in fiber, the intake
of energy and
protein will be
inadequate

The result of the above
is that the animal will
produce less milk. The
higher the fiber content,
the less the animal will
eat

Micro-organisms, in
this case yeast, are said
to have high levels of
amino acids such a
glutamic acid that
increase feed
palatability.

They secret nutrients
that stimulate the
growth of rumen
bacteria that do the bulk
of fiber digestion in the
rumen

It is recommended that
18% to 20% of the
feed (as dry matter) be
fiber.

Concentrate are feeds
which are high in protein,
energy, and are highly
digestible. They are
necessary in dairy farming
because milk production
has very high energy and
protein requirement.

These requirements
cannot be met
by forage alone
in dairy animals.

Dairy animals require
minerals and vitamins
for their bodies to
function normally,
develop strong bones as
well as strong joints

The ideal mineral
supplement should
supply the short fall
between the animal’s
need and what is
available in the feed it
receives.

Water is vital to the
animal’s:
•Health;
•Growth, and
•Milk production.

In the body of an animal,
it is essential for transporting
oxygen and nutrients
throughout the body.
Since about 85% of milk
is water, the same is
especially
important for lactating cows.

Water is also necessary as
it enables a cow to digest
dry feed. If a dairy cow fails
to get sufficient water,
it will eat considerably
less feed.

The above would lead to
decreased nutrients intake
with the end result being
reduced milk, meat,
growth rate, and
poor overall body
conditions
of the animal.

Feed palatability and appetite
are of essential to dairy cow
because they enhance
feed intake thus
guaranteeing
supply of the required
nutrients to the animal.

A milking cow drinks about 5 liters
of water for every liter of milk it
produces. A cow producing 10 liters
of milk a day must drink about 50
liters of water.

One producing 30 liters of
milk
should drink about 150
liters
of water in 24 hours.

Animals require more water
during the hot dry season
than they do during the
cool,
wet season.
The water should be:

•Available to the cow
all the times,
•Within 15 meters
from the feeding trough,
and

•Placed where it can
be warmed by the sun
as animals cannot
take enough water
when it is very cold.

All nutrients such as energy,
protein, fiber, minerals
and vitamins are contained
in the dry part of the forage.
They are what remain
in the forage after all water
is removed.

Water is the largest
component in all living
tissues. Growing plants
have about 70-80% water.
These implies that, though
essential, water in lush
forage actually limits dry
matter intake

The same leads to insufficient
nutrients intake by
dairy animals. For a succulent
or wet feed will offer a small
amount of dry matter.
To maximize dry matter
intake, wilt forage
with very high water
content in the sun before
feeding.

Yeast, one of the
micro organisms that
should be
supplemented in feed of
dairy animal enhances
dry matter intake and
overall
animal performance.

Ruminant obtain
most of their energy
from roughage
which ferments in
the rumen. They
require energy for:
Energy

· Body maintenance
· Growth
· Weight gain
· Reproduction, and
· Mild production.

The amount of energy
needed for body
maintenance depend on
the weight of the animal.

The amount of
energy
needed for milk
production depends
on the amount of
milk produced, and
butter-fat content of
the milk.

Most of the milk is
produced during the first 3
to 4 months of the
lactation period and
therefore the cow needs
more energy in the
beginning of lactation.
During the early stage of
lactation,

the nutrients
requirements of an
animal are higher.
Therefore for more
milk, more
supplements should
be given at this
stage.

Young animals that are still
growing when they start
lactating (first calves) need
extra energy for body
maintenance, growth, and
milk production. A mature
lactating cow may not need
it for growth.

It has further
advantages: a mature animal
will naturally eat more and can
therefore access enough
energy. It is important
to supplement the energy
requirements of a first calfer.

A cow requires more
energy when it is
pregnant for health
development of the
unborn calf, and
general
reproduction
performance.

Since a good dairy cow
would calve every 12 to
15 months, to keep its
milk
production at the
highest levels possible,

a farmer should make
deliberately efforts to
supply feed supplements
with high energy
contents.

Molasses, oats and
cereal by-products
such as maize germ,
wheat bran, cotton
seed cake, and
sunflower cake
are usually handy.

Protein
The available amount of protein
in any given forage will depend
on:
· The plant species –
legumes have higher protein
contents than grasses

· The plants stage
of maturity – the
protein contents of a
plant decline with
age, and

· The methods
used for harvesting
and storage – silage
intake is usually
lower than that of
the fresh

materials from which
it is made and will
therefore supply fewer
nutrients including
protein to the cow.

Forage such as mature
grass, and crop residues
that have less than
70gm of a crude protein
per kg of dry matter
are digested slowly the
rumen

Animals will only eat a
small amount of such
feed and cannot obtain
enough
nutrients even for body
maintenance.

To enhance dry
matter intake, harvest
forage when it is not
too old.

To supply the required
amount of protein the
protein content of the
total feed should be
between 180 and 200gm
per kg of forage.

As a general rule,
legumes should form
between one quarter and
one – third of the total
feed.
If the total is 100kg the
legumes portion should
be about 25 to 30kg.

Microbes
There are a lot of benefits that
come with supplementing your
feed with micro
organisms. As a result: There
are a lot of benefits that come
with supplementing your feed
with micro
organisms. As a result:

· There is enhanced
feed utility;
· Increased protein
synthesis;

• Increased feed
palatability, and
• Enhanced growth of all
farm animals.

Forage can supply most of a
free grazing cow's vitamins
requirement.
Minerals and Vitamins

However, during the dry
season when tend to be
low in vitamins
(especially vitamin A)
they should be provided
to cover any shortfalls.

Animals on Zero-Grazing
program must always
receive vitamin
supplements.

Minerals and vitamins are
required in small
quantities by a dairy
animal which forage can
supply in adequate
amounts for moderate milk
producers of between 5 to
7 Kg milk per day.

Beyond this production
supplements are needed.
During pregnancy, a cow
requires extra minerals

After training and demonstration, farmer are left to do it
themselves. In MolaPlus Ltd, farmers training is our first
priority. We as a company invest, heavily in farmers training
allover the entire East and Central Africa Region.

PRE-CALVING CARE
Dry Cow And Heifer
Management

Care begins with breeding
decisions. A dairy farmer
should know that some breed
of bulls are a higher risk of
calving problems than others.
Yet for any cow,
complications during calving
can pose serious
consequences.

A dairy farmer should select sires
for calving ease particularly
where heifers and framed cows
are concerned in order to avoid
calving difficulties.

Always note that heifers are
vulnerable to calving
problems because at first
calving, they are still
growing.
In some cases, the calf could
be larger in proportion to its
heifer dam.

As the birth canal of
heifer is required to
stretch for the first time,
there is likely to be
• Significant trauma, and
• Tearing of tissues

The above can result in:-
• Illness
• Lost productivity, and
• Higher death rates

. It also can lead to
paralysis of the hind legs
due to prolonged pressure
of the calf internal nerves.

The above can force a
farmer to cull a heifer that
would have served him
very well over time.

To reduce the effect of
these risks, a dry cow or
heifer should be prepared
in advance through sound
feeding and management.

Feeding and management
programmes for young
calves to avoid or limit the
effects of the above start
with caring for the dam or
mother two months to
calving.

A dry cow should be fed a
balanced diet to:-
• Meet the cows nutrients
needs,
• Support the growth of the
fetus,

• Prepare the cow to fight
the trauma and energy
drain that accompany
the process of giving
birth,
• To supply adequate
minerals and vitamins to
improve the system of
the dam.

So that the cow can fight
disease challenges such
as mastitis infection just
before after calving,

• You minimize health
problems such as
preventing retained
placentas.

Note that if a heifer or cow is
slightly underfed energy and
protein, the fetus will still
grow to the same size as if she
was fed properly, but she will
sacrifice her own body
reserves or growth to support
the growth of the fetus inside
her.

BUT underfed heifer will have
more trouble calving, and older
cows will use their body store
of fat and protein to support the
growth of the fetus inside them
meaning:-

Their store (read: reserve of
energy) will not be available
to support milk production
after calving. It is therefore
worth noting that under
feeding dry cows and heifer
does not result in a smaller
calf but instead results in
lower performance of the cow
or heifer after calving.

A farmer should always
aim at optimizing
production through sound
feeding and management.

Feed the dam well noting
that during this stage, the
calf in the cow grows faster
and yet there is pressure
against the rumen limiting
the room for dry matter
intake.

During the four week
transition period, prior to
calving, major changes are
occurring within the cow
•The fetus is growing at a
rapid rate.

• The cow's appetites is
decreasing as the increasing
size of the fetus reduces the
room available for the
rumen to fill.
• Additional hormonal and
lactational charges also
suppress the cow appetite.

Failure to manage the
supply of nutrients
required for lactation like
energy, calcium and
magnesium can result
sick cows. A dairy farmer
should focus on correct
sire selection.

As a dairy farmer give
careful attention to sire
you select for your cows
and particularly heifers.

The above will save the
farmer from:-
• Potential loss of genetics
• Potential loss of
productivity

Farmers select sires
through:-
· A I, or
· Bulls

And as they do that, they
should consider how each bull
ranks for ease of calving.
Always choose sire for calving
ease. It is better for the cow
and the calf. Heifer should be
well managed so they can
calve at 24month of age.

That means they should
attain:-
• The right weight, and
• The body for serving at
age 15 months

Heavier, well framed heifer
need less calving
assistance. Well grown
heifer also:
• Get in calf easier the first
time

• Produce more milk in their first
and subsequent lactations,
• Get back in calf sooner for their
second lactation,
• Stay in the herd longer, and
• Cope better with herd
competition

A healthy calf begins with a
healthy cow. As calving time
approaches, the cow due to
calve needs to be watched
closely for complications.
Cows and heifers should be
kept in a clean, dry, grassy lot
or a clean, well bedded pen.

COW IMMUNIZATION
AND
COLOSTRUM
MANAGEMENT.

Colostrum provides calves
with protection against
disease. The anti bodies in
a cows colostrum can be
increased through careful
management of the herds
vaccination program.

But by exposing the cow to
various disease bugs through
vaccination, one manages to
increase antibodies in the
cows blood. These antibodies
accumulate and during the
dry period, they are actively
concentrated in the cows
udder.

As colostrum starts to form
5 weeks before calving, they
form part of colostrum. In
modern dairy farming,
there is timing vaccination
to ensure peak antibody
levels in the blood.

This diseases minimization
strategy is particularly
important for diseases that
affects new born calves
such as:-
• E coli scours (This is
common in calves less than
7-10 days old)

• Salmonelosis – can occur
in calves of all ages And
others such as
• Pulpy Kidney
• Tetanuse

COLOSTRUM MANAGEMENT
While humans transfer
antibodies and ability to fight
diseases from mother to child,
ruminants don't. The placenta
prevents the transfer of anti
bodies from the cow to the calf
before birth and the calf is born
with no ability to fight disease.

Colostrum is the substance
that provides the antibodies
that form the main protection
from infectious diseases for
the calf in the first 6 weeks of
life until the calf can develop
antibodies of its own.

Without colostrums, a
calf is likely to die.
Colostrum begins
developing about 5 weeks
before calving and
completely stops once the
cow gives birth.

Antibodies concentration in
colostrums is strongest at the
point of birth. It is worth noting
that:
• No additional colostrum is
produced from the moment
the calf is born.
• The protective capacity of the
cows colostrum begins to
decrease straight after calving.

It is therefore very important
that colostrum be well
managed on the farm.
Colostrum can be collected
and stored correctly in a
freezer even for a year without
losing its protectively capacity.

Colostrum, a unique
mixture of components
derived from the cow's
under and blood has:-
• Twice as much dry matter
as whole milk
• Twice as much total solids

• Two to three times as many
minerals as
• Whole milk
• Hormones
• Growth factors (necessary for
growth and development of the
digestive tract)

• It is lower in lactase (thus decreasing
the incidence of diarrhea).
• They have immunoglobulin – for
diseases protection.
• White blood cell – very crucial for the
calves protection the first 24 hrs of
life.
• Antimicrobial factors – also for
protection

The calf’s intestines absorbs
the large igG ( the
immunoglobulins in
colostrum) molecules easily
from birth.
The intestines ability to absorb
antibodies decreases after
birth – It decreases by 30%
50% within 6 hrs of birth.

It stops completely between 24
and 36 hrs. after birth.
Therefore milk obtained after
the first and subsequent
milking is inferior in quality to
the first milking and should
not be fed the calf as
“colostrum”.

Calves are born with little
defence or immunity against
disease. They acquire
resistance to disease from
their
dam through
• Timely, and
• Adequate intake of high
quality colostrum

Colostrum is basically the
calf's mothers first milk.
Calves that do not receive
adequate amount of
quality colostrum early in
life are more susceptible to
disease.

It is preferred that they be
hand fed at least two liter
of colostrum the first hour of
birth and another two liter
within 12 hours of birth.

The amount of antibodies
absorbed is related to the
timing of colostrum feeding
after birth. Within 6 hours
after birth the ability of the
gut to absorb anti bodies
decreases by 1/3.

By 24 hrs the gut can
absorb only 11% of what it
could originally have
absorbed at birth. Further,
at 24 hrs of age, digestive
enzymes break down
digest all of the anti–bodies.

It is recommended that
calves are not left to nurse
their dams for by so doing
they fail to get adequate
colostrum from their dams
within the first few hours of
life and thus they may not
receive adequate immunity to
fight diseases.

Hand feeding new born calves
is highly recommended. Good
quality colostrum should be
very thick and creamy. You
can measure using a
colostrum meter (in which
case it should have greater
than 50mg/ml of
immunoglobulins.)

Before milking the cow its
treats should be cleaned
New born should not be fed
colostrums that:-
• Is thin
• Bloody
• Mastitic or
• Obtained from cows testing
positive of disease.

The calves should be fed
transition milk. For the first
start of life, the calf
functions as a simple
stomached or monogastic
animal. At birth, the first
three component of the
stomach.

• The rumen
• The reticulum, and
• The omasum are under
developed and do not aid in
digesting feed for the very
young calf.

When the calf starts to
eat calf starter – mixture
of grain, protein source,
minerals and vitamins,
and drink water, rumen
starts to develop.

Calves can start on calf
starter at day four though it
is recommended that at day
one, it could starts on small
quantities of:
• Fermented grain products,
• Water

Then at day three, some
fermented grain products
mixed with highly
digestible fibre.
Feeding calves free choice
water starting from day
four increases starter
intake and weight gain.

Research has shown that
depriving calves of drinking
water
• Decreases starter intake by
• Decreases weight gain by
38%
Free choice water enter the
rumen.

Water, grain based fed and
highly digestible fibre (read
starter feed) helps to
convert calves from a simple –
stomached animal to one with
a functional rumen that can,
• Utilize forage,
• Grains

Milk or water added to milk will not
assist the calf develop the rumen as it
will escape the rumen to the true
stomach (read abomasums). It will
not provide water for the bacterial to
grow in the calf's rumen. Clean, free
water must be provided separately,
free choice and during cold seasons,
warm water should be offered.

Calves can be weaned from
milk when they are eating
daily 1.5 to 2 kg of feed for
three days in a raw. They not
be weaned based on age but
on their intake of starter.
Some calves can be weaned at
four weeks of age while others
maybe up to 10 weeks of age.

To ensure you get good
quality colostrum avoid or
enforce the following.
Length of the dry period
• Dry period less than 5
weeks are likely to decrease
colostrum quality.

Delaying milking after calving
• The quality of colostrum decreases
the longer it is held in the udder.
Age of dam
• Older cows generally have better
quality colostrum (due to greater
exposure to disease.)

Pooling colostrum
• Pooling can dilute quality
Breed
• Breed does affect
colostrum quality.

Mastatis high / High cell
counts in dam
• Mastitis does not seem to
affect colostrum quality.
Leaky Cows
• Cows that leak prior to
calving usually have less lgG
in their colostrum

Only use “first milking” colostrum
for new born calves.
Early calvers
• Cows that calves early ( induced or
naturally) have lower anti body
level.

ENSURING CALVE
SURVIVAL THROUGH
TRANSFER OF
IMMUNITY.

Transfer of immunity refers to
the transfer of antibodies from
the cow to the calf through
colostrum. To successful transfer
of immunity:-
• Calves must consume sufficient
amount of antibodies.

• Calves must be able to absorb
it through their intestines
through timely feeding of
colostrum into their blood
stream.
The above greatly enhances
their survival rate.

There is failure of transfer
of immunity when calves
do not have sufficient
protective levels of
antibodies in their blood
streams shortly after birth.
It means that the calf
has either.

Not consumed enough,
• Absorbed enough
antibodies into its own
body.
NOTE: Calves that have had
difficulties or prolonged births
often have failure of transfer
of immunity.

Such have an increased risk
of disease and are likely to
die pre-weaning.
Whats more failure of
transfer of immunity lead to:-
• Increased losses up to 6
month of
• Decreased rate of growth.

• Increased average age at first
calving.
• Reduction in milk production
during the early year in the
herd. Statistically, it is
estimated that approximately

31% of pre-weaning deaths in the
developed world in the first 3 weeks
of life could be attributed to such
failure. In the developing world, the
figures are higher.

FEEDING CALVES
In feeding calves, focus on
the calf's health now while
aiming at productivity in
future. Apart from health, a
dairy farmer should provide
nutrition to ensure:

• Steady development of the
rumen.
• Better growth rate,
• Improved milk production in
the future
Healthy calf development
depends on correct nutrition.

BUT most importantly,
future productivity of
calves demand a strategic
manipulation of rumen
development for the effect
of good nutrition and
focused rumen provided at
the start of a calf's life has
a big impart in terms of:-

• General health status,
• Growth and weaning age,
• Fertility and mating, and
• Productive levels
While providing calves with
good quality colostrum
straight after birth gets them
off to a great start,

the next challenge is to help
the animal make a smooth
transition from being a
drinker to an eater. The calf
should be helped from day
one to move from obtaining
her nutrients from to
obtaining more and more of its
nutrients from solid feeds.

Apart from colostrum, one
other important nutrient
for a calf from day one is
fresh, clean water.
Understanding the basics
about how:-
• A cow digest milk
• A cow digests water

• A cow digests
grain /concentrates
• A cow digests fibre & pasture
allows farmers to work with a
calf's digestive system to
achieve successful weaning
and future production.

This groove allows milk to
bypass the rumen and enter
the abomasum directly. Once
in the abomasum it clots
and nutrients are released
into the blood stream. After a
while, this clot moves into the
intestines where it is digested
further.

WATER FOR THE CALF
Water is required to maintain
normal body function in all
animals regardless of age. It
must be available to all calves
from birth and should be
fresh and clean at all times.

This is because:-
• Water is an intergal part of
every cell in the calf's body
• Water helps to avoid
dehydration in calves that
are scouring.
• Water is needed for the
rumen to function.

• Water needs to be supplied
separately-never rely on
milk/milk replaces to
supply the requirements of
calves. Calves should have
water from day one and the
same should be clean and
fresh.

RUMEN DEVELOPMENT
AND RUMEN FUNCTION.

It is important to distinguish
between rumen development
which is very important in
dairy farming and rumen
function. The ability to wean a
calf is dependent on it having
a developed rumen that
functions well.

The difference between a
poorly developed rumen and
one that is well developed
comes down to:
• Size, and
• Number of papillae on the
rumen wall

The more the papillae on the wall of the rumen thebetter the rumen functions.

Papillae are the small
projections that grow on the
wall of the rumen. They
absorb nutrients. Two key
things to remember about
papillae are:-
• The more papilae there are,
the greater the surface area
available to absorb nutrients.

• The presence of certain
chemicals in the rumen
facilitates the development
of papillae.
The two principal chemicals
that contribute to the papillae
developed are:-
• Propionate, and
• Butyrate

The above mentioned are both
volatile fatty acids (VFAS) and
are the major breakdown
products of grain based
concentrates. The early
introduction of grain based
concentrates stimulates the
growth and developed of
papillae.

In addition extra energy
from the concentrates
breakdown becomes
available to the calf.

Poorly developed rumen has not very many papilae.

FIBRE FOR THE CALF
A calf needs good quality
fibre in order to develop her
rumen. The role of
roughages or fibre is:-
•To promote the growth of
the muscular layer of the
rumen.

• To maintain the health of
the rumen lining.
•To check the over growth of
papillae as a result of the
high levels of the volatile fatty
acids contained in grains
thank to proprionates and
butyrate.

To maintain papillae in
aptimal condition.A source of
good quality fibre should be
offered to calves from day 3
of life.

CHANGING FROM LIQIUID TO
SOLID SEED
As a calf makes the transition
from absorbing nutrients from
milk to dry feed, its digestive
system adapt and changes.

At birth, the digestive system
of a calf is geared upto process
milk so the abomasum is large
in comparison to other parts
namely rumen, omasum and
reticulum. The rumen, which
is designed to handle
roughages grows as the animal
eats more and more solid feed.

Strategic dairy farming
demands that a farmer
encourages the growth of a
well developed and
functioning rumen as
quickly as possible

To promote steady growth
and maintain health, calf
rations need to be
formulated so they
contain:-

• Energy for growth and
functions like breathing,
walking, grazing etc. ( Grain
based products provide
propionate and butyrate) the
breakdown chemicals that
encourage growth of rumen
papillae.

• For all basic metabolic
processes and growth of calf
rations between 16-18%
crude protein are
recommended.
• Vitamins for metabolic
processes, bone formation and
disease resistance.

•Minerals for carbohydrate
metabolism, cartilage and
muscle
• Vitamin prexies – prior to the
development of the rumen,
calves are not able to
manufacture any of the B
group vitamins and so addition
of these are of benefit.

NB: MolaPlus, Livestock
Microbes is very ideal in
supplying all the B vitamins
required by calves at this stage.
Fibres should be induced in a
calf's ration as it promotes the
growth of the muscular layer of
the rumen and helps maintain
the health of the calve.

NOTE THAT:-
• Poor quality fibres creates a
“fill” effect.
• Poor quality fibre decrease
appetite
• Poor quality fibre limits
concentrate intake due to
delay in passage of the
rumen.

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