Cold Weather Strategies for Raising Healthy Calves

Do you feel prepared to raise calves during the winter season? The lower critical temperature of a young dairy calf is 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which means that the calf’s energy requirement begins to increase in order to maintain core body temperature in conditions below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. As winter temperatures decrease, a calf uses more energy for maintenance, resulting in less energy available for growth and immune function. Preparing and planning for the cold is essential for calves to remain healthy and grow to their full genetic potential.

 

 

Deliver more energy with a fat supplement: Adding a fat supplement to the milk solution can provide an economical and convenient way to increase the energy content of the milk without needing to switch to a different milk replacer. Calf-Cal High Energy Supplement from Hubbard Feeds contains 7 percent protein and 60 percent fat, designed to provide young calves with additional calories during periods of cold stress (Table 1). 

 

 

Feed a higher-fat milk replacer formula: Feeding a higher-fat milk replacer increases the energy allowable gain for calves, as seen in Table 2. Using a high-fat milk replacer during the winter months (and even year-round!) gives calves extra calories, but this alone does not significantly change energy allowable gain. 

 

 

Feed more volume of milk replacer solution: Increasing total volume of milk solution fed, as well as increasing the fat percentage of the milk will maximize calf growth potential during cold weather. Providing calves with more solution throughout the day during the cold winter season allows for increased caloric intake, which provides more energy for growth and immune function. Table 3 shows how increasing the total volume of solution offered per day significantly increases the energy allowable gain of an 80-pound calf in 10-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. 

 

 

Offering a high-quality calf starter is vital for calves to perform well and stay healthy no matter the season. Calf starter consumption in the winter not only promotes early rumen development, but also helps calves generate more body heat via increased energy intake and increased metabolic activity.

 

I thought increasing the fat content and volume of milk replacer would reduce solid feed intake?

Traditional milk replacers use animal fat as the foremost source of energy. Collaborative research conducted by Hubbard Feeds and the University of Minnesota has demonstrated that starter intake decreases as the amount of animal fat in the milk replacer increases, or as milk replacer volume fed increases. In cold weather, using the right blend of fats may improve calf health, starter intake, and performance, versus animal fat only.

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.