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Feeding Heifers from Weaning to Calving

In this section, we will cover feeding heifers from weaning to calving. Post weaning can be a very critical period for calves. Coccidiosis can be a problem, so either bovatec, rumensin, decox or corrid should be in starters. These calves are also undergoing some stresses at this point. One is diet, we have removed the liquid feed and now they are on all dry feed. And also behavior, generally at this same time, calves will be moved from individual pens to group housing. Calves should actually be consuming about 5-6 lbs of starter per day before being supplemented with high quality alfalfa. After about 3-4 months of age, we will begin shifting these animals away from predominately concentrate diets to higher forage diets. But we will still supplement the forage base with concentrates to meet the needs of the animals. Probably the most critical thing in feeding heifers is rate of gain. A rate of gain to achieve early puberty and breeding and early calving, but not excess gain to inhibit mammary development. Research has shown that dairy heifers that gain too rapidly have lower milk yields in subsequent lactations. So, the bottom line is, excessive gains in dairy heifers is detrimental to milk yield. A reasonable goal for Holstein heifers, to reach puberty at a reasonable age and to calve at a reasonable age, is to gain at about 1.5-2.0 lbs per day. And how do we regulate rate of gain? Mainly through energy concentration or through supplementation of concentrates based on our forage base. And we can also manipulate fiber concentration or increase forage to dilute the energy concentration to slow rate of gain. Now, the first goal in heifers is to achieve a reasonable body weight or puberty body weight at a reasonable age. Now, puberty depends upon body weight. And in dairy heifers, this is about 55% of mature body weight. Holstein dairy heifers will start cycling and this is about at 750 lbs.

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