DAIRY HEIFER REARING STRATEGIES 1) Birth to 6 months New England Dairy Conferences March 10 Waterville, ME; March 11 Whitefield, NH; March 12 West Lebanon, NH Hugh Chester-Jones University of Minnesota SROC, Waseca 2014 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Discussion today will include: SROC Calf and Heifer Commercial Calf Raising Facilities and Management; Milk and calf starter feeding systems Post weaning transition and group housing program brief overview
What does it cost to raise dairy heifers? Knowing true costs of raising heifers is critical.
Total cost associated with raising dairy replacements is 15 to 25% of the total cost to operate a dairy. 2014 (Tranel, Hoards Dairyman, September) for 40 calf raising operations av. cost of $5.31/day from birth to 61 days Custom raisers av. $3.16/day (weaned at 45 days of age).
Heifer raising budget birth to 24 months (Tranel, 2014) Feed costs $1,224 Livestock variable costs $273.52 Facilities and equipment $230.60 Total without labor $1,728.12 ($2.37/day; Add labor at $2.73/day)
Heifer raising budget birth to 24 months (Tranel, 2014) Non-feed costs $1/day from birth to calving Cost savings reduce calving age ($94/month) Reduce cull rate
SROC Calf Project: Partners since 2004 - University of Minnesota, Allied Industry and 3 dairy farms - Minnesota Project dairy farms: Wolf Creek Dairy, Dundas (400+ cows); Bombay Dairy, Kenyon (700+ cows); Clay View Dairy, Gooodhue (recently expanded from 600+ to 1,000+ cows using genomics). Contract with each dairy reviewed annually.
Profile of the 3 commercial dairies
Raw mean profiles of heifer calves assigned to nursery studies from 3 dairy farms from 2-5 days up to 6 months of age through 2013 Item No. study heifers Initial BW, lb Initial SP, g/dl Final BW, lb Final Hip Height, in ADG, lb Farm A Farm B Farm C 1,156 1,805 1,797 88.3 88.0 86.0 5.6 5.5 5.4 474 448 452 45.6 45.1 45 1.91 1.88 1.89 Over 9,700 calves have been brought into SROC to date - mortality about 1.8% Performance of calves through 6 months has been relatively consistent across farms
Calf health and post calving survivability
Five C s of Successful Colostrum Cleanliness Consistency Calories Calf Rearing Comfort - Dr. Sheila McGuirk, U of WI School of Veterinary Medicine
Colostrum basics* (Fetrow, 2009) Quality - > 50 g/l IgG; Quantity 4 quarts (10% BW); Quickness - < 6 hrs; Cleanliness - < 100,000 cfu/ml; feed < 1-2 hr or refrigerate < 48 hr; to help absorption;
Colostrum basics* (Fetrow, 2009) Pasteurized colostrum? batch pasteurizer 140 o F for 30 (PSU) to 60 min (U of MN); PSU heat treated colostrum > IgG absorption; Colostrum replacers min 100 g IgG/dose ($25-$30/dose) feed 150-200 g IgG; *Remember dry cow management & nutrition
Managing calves upon arrival
Calf and Heifer Research and Extension Facility Two 30 ft x 200 ft calf barns 40 calves/room all-in/all-out 160 individual pens (birth to 10 weeks of-age)
Record keeping
Extra calves are often fed from a milk bar.
Automatic Calf Feeding System (ACFS) Since September 2011 2 pens of 23 calves (32 sq ft/calf) in a renovated calf room used as the 5th room in rotation with 4 rooms of 40 individually penned calves. Used automatic grain feeders initially now feed bunks in each pen. Calves placed in the pens off the truck - 2 groups have been evaluated with 7 days in individual pens then trained to the ACFS.
SROC Urban computer milk and grain feeders placed in a renovated calf room in 2011 - design by U of MN David Ziegler; ventilation help from Kevin Janni
Cleaning All-in all out system power wash panels and pen structures
Calf Stressors
Stressors causing variance in performance of Calves: Dehorning - after 30 days in the nursery. Vaccinations - pre- and post weaning. Tail docking - after 30 days in the nursery (1 herd only) Socialization/grouping - Feed changes Environmental changes Cold vs Heat; flies Biosecurity!! Adapted from Hayes, SROC workshop 2006
Nursery Nutrition
Barrel to collect water from buckets - keep the calf rooms dry
Production goals for SROC nursery calves - double birth weight by 2 months of age with 4 inches of frame height. A recent goal in Holsteins includes at least 1 - lb/day gain prior to 14 days old for good health (ADSA 2008 calf discover conference) 20% of variation in milk production is related to growth rate prior to weaning; (Van Amburgh, 2009)
Liquid feeding options: Conventional 20:20 to 22:20 1.25 to 1.5lbs/day 1.2 gallons/day (still 60% of the market) Accelerated 28:16-20 1.5 step up to 2 to 2.5 lbs/day > 2 gallons/day step-up (LOL et al) Moderate intensive feeding 1.5 lbs 26:17 (Akey) Modified Intensive 24:20; 26:16, 24:16 1.5 to 2 lbs/day 1.2 to 1.5 gallons/day (U of MN) Whole or pasteurized waste milk solids 12.5 to 17% - 1.3 to > 2 gallons/day;
SROC example of Conventional vs Modified Intensive or Intensive Feeding Programs Initiated for heifers in 2004
Full potential nutrition results in greater early growth of calves Drackley, 2009
Performance of heifer calves fed varying milk replacer and starter programs (proceedings Table 2 for all MR treatments) 20:20 Parameter Non-Acidified 28:16 28:16 Feed rate lbs/day MR Solids % Calf starter (CS), CP % Init. BW, lb Init. HH, in SP, g/dl Final BW, lb 1.25 1.5 2.25 13.88% 16.67% 16.67% 18% 22% 22% 90.64 89.54 88.66 31.80 31.78 31.81 5.00 4.90 4.98 169.84 179.08 188.76 BW change vs Initial Final HH, in 187% 200% 213% 35.91 35.91 (-2%) 36.65
Performance of heifer calves fed varying milk replacer and starter programs 20:20 Parameter Non-Acidified 28:16 28:16 Milk DM, lb 46.86 55.44 82.72 CS DM 56 d, lb Total DM, lb ADG 1-56 d, lb Cost of gain 2015, $/lb 103.40 108.46 82.94 (+19.8%) (+23.6%) --- 150.26 163.90 165.66 1.4 1.61 (+12.4%) 1.76 (+19.9%) 1.21 1.53 1.81 (+26.5%) (+49.6%) (
Post weaning from 9 to 25 weeks 20:20 MR calves fed 16% grain mix (6 lb/d) and 28:16 calves fed 18% CP grain mix with free choice hay -no differences in heifer performance.
Post weaning from 9 to 25 weeks First calving age and lactation production (taken from Spreadsheets by farm in 2006-2007) Reduced first calving age for intensive (23.5 mth) but not modified intensive (24 mth) vs 20:20 control (24.4 mth) ; Indications of no significant milk production differences.
Post weaning from 9 to 25 weeks 305 STD ME - 28,386 lbs, (all 20:20); 28, 870 lb (1.5 lb 28:16); 30,096 lb (2.25 lb 28:16) Potential to cover the extra $85.59 for feeding accelerated program if increase milk 6% and lower calving age but a number of variables.
Traditional vs. Accelerated Milk Replacers Courtesy of Stacey A. Hamilton Ph.D. and Scott Poock DVM University of Missouri Project sponsored by Hartville Feed and Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition
Develop a mid range feeding program that (Strayer et a., 2014): Maximizes growth using protein and energy ratio. Find feeding rate to maximize calf starter intake. Avoid post-weaning slump seen in Accelerated Program Compare mid range feeding program to accelerated program. Lower cost of milk replacer with accelerated growth
Water Intake by Week 10 9 Water intake, L/d 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 C C+ LF LF+ HP+ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Experimental Week
Calf Starter Intake by Week 3.0 CS DMI, kg/d 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 C C+ LF LF+ HP+ 0.5 0.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Experimental Week
Organic Herd - Calf Feeding Calves are fed ONCE per day in groups of 10 (6 liter or 1.6 gal of milk) Skellerup Peach Teat 10-bowl feeder http://www.tdlagritech.com/ Free-choice grain and water are available at day 3 of age 18% calf grain mixed at WCROC (corn, wheat, soybean meal, soybean oil, minerals) Wean at 60 days Very few health problems (1 or 2 calves/year), Calves are outside from birth 47
48
Calf Starter Programs
Commercial textured starter
Calf Starter Intake 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 0-2 weeks 2-4 weeks 4-6 weeks 6-8 weeks Control Calves
Other focus areas for Liquid and Calf Starter Programs Alternative Proteins Energy sources Ionophores and coccidiostats Heat abatement Use of glycerin Nutritional supplements
Transitional management
Post weaning group housing Transition management control 65 ft x 150 ft grower barn -- 9 to 27 weeks of age 120 head in 20 pens
Transition Calf management Calves weaned at 42 days then remain in their stalls for 14 days then moved to group pens of 7-8 heifers/pen (37.5-43 sq ft/calf) with good feeding space; Calves raised with automatic calf feeder or in nursery group pens will be moved similarly; Groups/pen do not differ in age by more than a week as an all in-all out nursery system;
Transition Calf management Calves fed same calf starter for 7 days then transitioned to limit-fed 16% grain mix and free choice hay program (alfalfa/grass); different options have been assessed; DMI by heifers in our system will be close to 3% of BW from 9 to 25 weeks of age. Ionophore feeding rate of monensin 90-100 mg at 9 weeks to 150 mg at 6 months with a max 200 mg (lasalocid similar range).
Grower studies have evaluated protein levels, sources, fiber levels and limit vs. full feeding the grain mix with or without access to hay for period. Different hay qualities/ By products distillers grains 3.2 lb/heifer daily; glycerin 3 or 6% in the grain mix; TMR with distillers, chopped hay and sweet corn silage waste.
Take Home Message Goals for calf performance in the nursery have been attained by both conventional, moderate accelerated or accelerated programs. Optimum calf starter intake compliments changes in liquid feeding programs to ensure calves meet their goals. Good quality calves and health management have been important keys to success. Post weaning programs have maintained calf performance which has exceeded initial expectations
Daily communications between staff critical for success of the calf operation.
Questions