CALF :
Young one of bovine under one year of age.
The future of dairy/meat industry relay on calf management typically the feeding management( efficient utilization of available resources).
Early calf mortality is very much high i.e 25% if no proper care is taken while raising it.
IMMEDIATELY CARE AFTER BIRTH:
- Observe the calf for any abnormality and injury.
- Press rib cage when if abnormal respiration in winter.In summer season if calf have respiration problem so put some cold water to intiate its respiration.
- Swing the calf but its an old technique.
COLOSTRUM FEEDING TO CALF :
FEED COLOSTRUM 10% OF BODY WEIGHT TO CALF IN 12 HOURS.
E.g : NILI RAVI BUFFALO CALF 40 KG WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF BIRTH SO GIVE 4 KG COLOSTRUM TO CALF WITH IN 12 HOURS.
Colostrum helps in immmunity development.As through placenta no immunity transfer so lack of IgA,IgG,IgM.
If colostrum isn’t provided in optimum quantity so it leads to diarrhea and death.
With colostrum feeding small intestine permeability and motility changes.
Up to 3 days colostrum is absorbed by calf small intestine after 3 days some alteration in small intestine structure so no proper absorption of colostrum.
If dam is suffered from different diseases in life so its colostrum will having more antibodies and will be much better in calf immunity than one having less disease exposure.But if dam is treated with medicines so it have less immunity.
DISINFECTION OF NAVAL CORD WITH 7% IODINE SOLUTION:
With Tincture iodine best method is to dip the naval cord in 7% Iodine solution so naval cord will dry spontaneously in 3 -4 hours and will easily detached.
Allow the calf infront of the Dam to lick their young one.So by this blood circulation increases of calf and facilitate the youngone. At this moment none of body system is properly developed so by doing so if dam lick calf so various organs starts efficient working and develop early.
CALF FEEDING SCHEDULE
| AGE | COLOSTRUM/MILK | WATER | CALF STARTER | ROUGHAGES |
| 1-3 DAYS | 10% BODY WEIGHT COLOSTRUM | NO | NO | NO |
| 4-7 DAYS | 10% BODY WEIGHT MILK | YES | NO | NO |
| 2 WEEK | 10% BODY WEIGHT MILK | YES | YES | NO |
| 3RD-7TH WEEK | 10% BODY WEIGHT MILK | YES | YES | YES |
RUMEN DEVELOPMENT :
Upto 2nd week ruminant calf is simple stomach . Rumen develop when animal starts starter ration during this animal converts from simple stomach to compound stomach so called rumen development.
The early the rumen develop so less expanses on that animal feed and more profitable & more productive the animal will be.
Papillae of rumen develop when starter ration is fed to calf after that nutrients absorption starts.
On 4th week if milk is costly so we fed milk replacer to animal in ratio of 50:50. ( i.e 50% is the dam milk and 50% is the milk replacer . )
Diarrhea occurs if you don’t follow the hygienic steps in feeding milk replacer.
Nutritive value of milk replacer is almost same as real milk.
On 7th week we observe the calf that much a calf consume the starter ration.If it consume 1Kg concentrate(starter ration) so we should decrease milk.We allow 25% of only milk allowance.e.g : 10 L so we will provide only 2.5 L then.
On 8th week do weaning(deprivation from milk) of calf as a calf eat 1.5kg starter feed which fulfill all its daily body needs.
if the calf isn’t eating 1.5kg starter feed we will continue milk further till 3 months so as to start eating 1.5kg starter ration per day.
Formulating feed ratios for the milk producing buffalo
Formulating feed ratios for milk producing buffaloes starts with theoretical calculating of the requirements. As there are no standardized international tables for dairy buffaloes’ requirements, the calculations here are based on NCR’s tables for dairy cattle (see Table 3). It is important to know the buffaloes live weight, this is most accurately done by weighing the animals three times in a week and calculating the average. However, this requires an animal scale and is further very time consuming. Weighing the animals once is good as guidance. Once the weight is known, the requirements for maintenance are extracted from Table 1. The milk yield should be known as well as the fat percentage. Recommendations are at least 3 days of milk recording to calculate the average yield and fat percentage. For simplicity, the yield is then calculated to 4% fat corrected milk (shown in Table 1). The total requirement is gained by summing requirements for maintenance and for milk production.
Table 1. Nutrient requirements for milk producing buffaloes
|
Requirements for Live weight |
Energy (ME in MCAL) |
TDN (kg) |
Total Crude Protein (g) |
Calcium |
Phosphorus (g) |
|
450 kg |
13.0 |
3.4 |
341 |
18 |
13 |
|
500 kg |
14.2 |
3.7 |
364 |
20 |
14 |
|
550 kg |
15.3 |
4.0 |
386 |
22 |
16 |
|
600 kg |
16.3 |
4.2 |
406 |
24 |
17 |
|
Requirements for Milk yield per kg 4% fat corrected milk |
1.24 |
0.32 |
90 |
2.73 |
1.68 |
If the animal seems to be too fat at the time of weighing, the maintenance requirements may be reduced by 10 %. Similarly, if the animal is too skinny, 10% may be added to the maintenance requirements.
The feeding regime of the buffaloes can then be decided. Primarily, crops grown on the farm should be included in the diet. For the optimal economic feeding regimes the feed should be analyzed at a laboratory for dry matter content, energy and crude protein and for calcium and phosphorus.
Table 2. Optimal economic feeding
| Feed name | Energy (ME in Mcal) | TDN (kg) | Total Crude Protein (g)) | Calcium (g) | Phosphorus (g) |
| Alfalfa hay | 2.36 | 0.63 | 200 | 15.4 | 2.2 |
| Napier grass | 2 | 0.55 | 87 | 6 | 4.1 |
| Rape fresh | 3.16 | 0.81 | 164 | – | – |
| Oats | 2.73 | 0.6 | 140 | 2 | 2 |
| Sorghum fresh | 2.36 | 0.63 | 88 | 4.3 | 3.6 |
| Sorghum silage | 2.14 | 0.58 | 62 | 3.4 | 1.7 |
| Maize silage | 2.67 | 0.7 | 81 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Wheat straw | 1.51 | 0.44 | 0 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| Rape seed | 2.93 | 0.76 | 390 | 7.2 | 11.4 |
| Cotton seed cake | 2.71 | 0.71 | 448 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| Wheat bran | 2.67 | 0.7 | 171 | 11.8 | 3.2 |
| Molasses | 2.67 | 0.7 | 103 | 11 | 1.5 |
| Urea | 0 | 0 | 281 | 0 | 0 |
Practical feeding of the calf
Colostrum is the most important and most suitable feed for the newborn calf. It contains all the nutrients needed (see Table 3) along with the vital antibodies. It is crucial for the survival of the calf that it receives colostrum during the first 12 hours of its life, the earlier the better. The calves should be given colostrum as long as the mother provides it e.g. 3 to 4 days. Any surplus colostrum can be frozen and then thawed and carefully heated to 39 °C. If no freezing facilities are available colostrums can stay fresh for a couple of days if it is cooled in a hygienic container. Colostrum can be fermented with living lactic acid culture. Fermented colostrums can be kept for at least a week and up to two weeks if cooling facilities are available.
The calf should be trained to drink from a bucket. The easiest way to do this is to dip clean fingers into the milk and then allow the calf to lick and suck the fingers. The hand is then gradually drawn into the milk in the bucket while the calf is still suckling. Once the calf has learnt to drink it is easy to feed. The calf may need assistance for 5 days. There are special nipples which can be put in the bucket. The calf will suckle these, hence it will need less assistance from the trainer.
Table 3: Feeding of the calf
| Age (days) | Daily gain (kg) | DCP (g) | TDN (g) | ME (M cal) | Ca (g) | p (g) | Vit A (1000IU)) | Vit D (IU) |
| 0-15 | 0.20 | 80 | 400 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 200 |
| 16-30 | 0.30 | 90 | 500 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 250 |
| 31-60 | 0.30 | 125 | 800 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 250 |
| 61-90 | 0.35 | 150 | 100 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 260 |
After the colostrums period, whole milk should be provided to the calf until 15 days of age @ a level of 1/8th to 1/10th of the calf’s body weight. (see Table 3). Milk replacer can be fed along with the whole milk provided that it has a certain composition of nutrients. It is not advisable to completely substitute whole milk with milk replacer. Milk and/or replacer should be offered to the calf on at least two occasions per day. The milk and/or replacer should be served at body temperature (38-39 °C).
At two weeks of age, the calf should be introduced to good quality green feed and concentrates, as a calf starter (Table 3). This stimulates the rumen to grow and function properly. By following the feeding schedule in Table 8 a daily gain of 0.35 kg can be expected.
Feeding schedules for calves
| Age (days) | Whole milk (l) | Skimmilk (l) / milk replacer | Calf starter (g) | Hay (g) |
| 0-14 | 4* | – | – | – |
| 15-21 | 3.5 | – | 50 | 300 |
| 22-28** | 3.0 | – | 300 | 500 |
| 29-35 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 400 | 550 |
| 36-42 | – | 2.5 | 600 | 600 |
| 43-49 | – | 2.0 | 700 | 700 |
| 50-56 | – | 1.5 | 800 | 800 |
| 57-63 | – | 1.0 | 1000 | 1000 |
| 64-70 | – | – | 1200 | 1100 |
| 70-77 | – | – | 1300 | 1200 |
| 78-84 | – | – | 1400 | 1400 |
| 85-91 | – | – | 1700 | 1900 |
*first 3 days, feed colostrum.
**ensure a smooth and gradual change to milk replacer
An alternative method is to rear calves with foster mothers. In Italy, 40% of the buffalo calves are reared by suckling an old and less productive buffalo or even a cow. This has several advantages, e.g. little labor is required concerning feeding of the calf and the calf will secure it’s nutrient intake itself.
Calf starter mixture
| Feed source | Amount |
| Crushed barley | 50 % |
| Groundnut cake | 30 % |
| Wheat bran | 8 % |
| Fish meal / skim milk powder / meat meal | 10 % |
| Mineral mixture | 2 % |
| To increase acceptability, add, per 100 kg of starter | |
| Molasses | 5-10 kg |
| Salt | 500 g |
Buffalo calves fed with Stover’s of maize, bajra and oat cannot meet their nutrient requirements and are often in negative energy and protein balance. However, feeding the calves with treated Stover’s with a urea-molasses-salt complex both enhances the palatability of the Stover’s as well as the digestibility and nutrient value. Buffalo male calves weighing 150-200 kg has proven to increase the intake of treated Stover’s verses untreated ones and thereby increasing weight gain, nitrogen balance and health.
Practical feeding of the heifer
The heifer is the future milk producer and she has to be given a fair chance to produce well. She must have an average daily gain of at least 500 grams per day in order to reach the optimum size for calving within reasonable time (500 kg at 32 to 40 months). Unfortunately, many farmers consider heifers to be unproductive and hence they are not properly fed. Lack of feed is often a reality; it is therefore not possible to feed all animals in the herd with high quality feed. The following advice could be considered as a rule of thumb, bearing in mind that the quantity and quality of feed varies with the season. Furthermore, the condition and growth rate of the heifer should be checked regularly to see that she has the approximate growth rate and if not, adjust her feeding schedule accordingly.
The heifers should be fed green feed of the season of about 4-7 kg DM together with some straw and concentrate or grain per day. If the green feed is leguminous the ration of green feed and concentrate or grain can be reduced and the amount of straw increased. However, it is positive to feed the heifers a small amount of grain or concentrate (not less than 0.5 kg per day) for making both them and their rumen accustomed to this type of feed, especially partus.
If available, ammonia treated straw could be given along with low quality green feed and concentrate. Silage could be given to heifers, but it is often a very valuable feed saved for milk producing animals. However, a few months before part us the heifer should slowly be introduced to the feed she will have as a milk producing buffalo.
Maximum voluntary intake of the heifer is obtained @ approximately 1 to 1.5 kg dry matter of straw together with 3 kg (DM) of green feed and 1 kg concentrate. Straw fed to appetite is not enough to keep or increase body weight of growing buffaloes. Straw fed to growing stock should preferably be ammoniated and further supplemented with green feed or hay and some kind of concentrate to give the best result.
Practical feeding of the dry buffalo
Feeding the dry buffalo concern is preparing for partum and a high milk production. In the last two months of gestation the buffalo has increased requirements for nutrients for fetal growth.
Feeding Schedule
Feeding Schedule for different breeds of Buffaloes ( Kg )
| Type of animal | Feeding during | Green Fodder | Dry Fodder | Concentrate |
| kundi (7 to 8 liter milk per day) | Lactation days Dry days |
25 to 30 20 to 25 |
4 to 5 5 to 6 |
3.5 to 4.0 0.5 to 1.0 |
| Nili Ravi(6 to 7 liter milk per day) | Lactation days Dry days |
15 to 20 10 to 15 |
4 to 5 5 to 6 |
3.0 to 3.5 0.5 to 1.0 |
| cross bred buffalo (5 to 6 liter milk per day) | Lactation days Dry days |
10 to 15 5 to 10 |
4 to 5 5 to 6 |
2.5 to 3.0 0.5 to 1.0 |
Nutrient Requirement
Nutrient requirement of working bullocks
| DIGESTIVE CRUDE PROTEIN (Kg) | TOTAL Digestible NUTRIENTS (Kg) | |||
| BODY WEIGHT OF THE BULLOCK | NORMAL WORK (4 HOURS ) | HEAVY WORK (8 HOURS) | NORMAL WORK (4 HOURS ) | HEAVY WORK (8 HOURS) |
| 300 Kg | 0.227 | 0.241 | 3.06 | 3.89 |
| 350 Kg | 0.254 | 0.277 | 3.56 | 4.50 |
| 400 Kg | 0.283 | 0.287 | 4.00 | 5.03 |
| 450 Kg | 0.307 | 0.335 | 4.00 | 5.60 |
Dr Ameer Hamza 