Just like us, calves feel the chill!
It's the season of giving and your calves might need a little extra love to stay warm and cozy this winter. Did you know that calves start burning extra energy to stay warm once the temperature drops below 15°C? The rule of thumb is 1% of energy for thermoregulation for each degree of temperature reduction. By the time the temperature drops to 4°C, their energy needs increase by 29%! Without the right nutrition, this energy comes at the cost of their growth, something no farmer wants. So, as you cozy up by the fire, do not forget your calves.
What can you do?
Option 1: Increase the amount of milk you feed to your calves. Feed 1 or 2 liters of additional milk on top of their usual daily amount to provide your calves with some extra energy. This is both possible if the farmer is using fresh milk or milk replacer. This is a great option if the weather is only dropping for a few days. Also, make sure the milk is nice and warm.
Option 2: Increase the concentration of the milk replacer. This is a great option if the calf is simply not able to drink a larger quantity of milk, but you still want to provide the extra energy. However, concentration is not something you can change for just a few days as a calf needs to get used to the milk every time you change it. Best for the calf is to have consistent consistency. Before making changes to the consistency, always check the milk replacer bag and/or consult your calf specialist/milk replacer company. You could also choose to feed a different milk replacer, with higher energy contents.
Calm feeder feeding plan
For those farmers with a Calm automatic feeder (equipped with a temperature sensor), the Calm can do the work for them. If the Calm winter mode is turned on, the feeder will automatically adjust the amount or the concentration (you can choose which) of the milk when temperatures drop below a set threshold. Our advice is to choose to change the amount, to avoid switching concentration from day to day when temperatures are close to the threshold. Even if the feeder is using the average temperature of 3 days to avoid this.
You can find the mode here: Main menu > Feeding > Plans > Winter feeding plan
What else can you do?
Do not hesitate to use a little more straw during the colder days. Make sure the calves have enough bedding material to make a warm and cozy nest, especially if the calves are housed outside. Ventilation and airflow are always important, not only when it is hot. Make sure the calves are in a draft free place. For extra warmth, treat the calves with calf jackets. Some people even use ear warmers! Maybe a fun knitting project for someone you know…
For more information or questions, contact your FMS Specialist
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