Tomorrow’s milking cow is today’s calf. From the first feed of colostrum to the right concentrate for growing heifers, here is how to build a strong, productive herd.
Key Takeaways
- Give colostrum within the first hour of birth – it is the calf’s first protection.
- Introduce calf starter, clean water and green fodder from the second or third week.
- Well-fed heifers come into heat on time and start giving milk earlier.
In this article
Many farmers put all their attention on milking animals and leave calves to “grow up on their own”. But a calf that is well fed in its first year becomes a heifer that conceives on time – and a cow that gives more milk for more years. Good calf feeding is one of the best investments a dairy farmer can make.
The first day: colostrum
The first milk after calving, called colostrum (khees), is rich in antibodies that protect the newborn calf from disease. A calf is born with very little immunity of its own, and its ability to absorb these antibodies drops quickly after birth.
- Feed colostrum within the first hour after birth.
- Give about 2 – 2.5 litres in the first feed, and a total of roughly one-tenth of the calf’s body weight on the first day.
- Continue colostrum or mother’s milk for the first 3 – 4 days.
Feeding plan from birth to one year
| Age | Milk | Other feed |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 2 weeks | About 10% of body weight per day, in 2 – 3 feeds | Clean drinking water available |
| 2 weeks – 2 months | Continue milk | Calf starter (a little at first), soft green fodder |
| 2 – 3 months | Reduce gradually and wean | Calf starter 0.5 – 1 kg, green fodder, some bhusa |
| 3 – 6 months | – | Concentrate 1 – 1.5 kg, green fodder, dry fodder |
| 6 – 12 months | – | Concentrate 1.5 – 2 kg, plenty of green and dry fodder |
These are general guidelines. Breed, body size and the quality of your fodder all make a difference, so watch how your calves grow and adjust.
Growing heifers
From one year until first calving, the goal is steady growth – not too thin, not too fat. A well-grown heifer comes into heat on time and conceives earlier, which means she starts giving milk sooner.
- Feed 1.5 – 2 kg of a balanced concentrate such as Super Feed daily along with green and dry fodder.
- Give mineral mixture every day, as advised by your vet – minerals play a big role in fertility.
- Deworm regularly and keep vaccinations up to date.
- In the last two months of pregnancy, add about 1 – 1.5 kg of extra concentrate per day.
Housing and hygiene
Keep calves in a clean, dry, well-ventilated pen with soft bedding. Wash feeding buckets after every use. Most calf diarrhoea comes from dirty buckets, wet floors and poor colostrum feeding – all things you can control.
A healthy calf today is a healthy milking cow tomorrow. Every rupee spent on calf care comes back in the milk bucket.
– Sitara Nutrition Team
