An intensified nutrition program for dairy calves: Effects on growth and subsequent milk production

The objective of this study was to compare growth and future milk production of Holstein calves fed either an intensified liquid feeding program (INT; n = 32) or a conventional early weaning program (CON; n = 33). At 3 d of age, female Holstein calves in individual hutches were assigned to CON (milk replacer [22% CP, 20% fat] plus starter [18% CP, as fed]) or INT (milk replacer [28% CP, 20% fat] plus starter [22% CP, as fed]). In yr 1, 12 calves on CON and 11 calves on INT were used, whereas in yr 2, there were 21 calves on each treatment. For CON, calves were fed a constant amount of milk replacer (1.25% of birth weight as powder) through wk 4, were fed one-half of that amount during wk 5, and were weaned at the end of wk 5. For INT, calves were fed milk replacer at 2% of BW during wk 1 and 2.5% of BW during wk 2 to 5 (adjusted weekly in yr 1, held constant in yr 2). During wk 6, calves were fed half the amount offered during wk 5 and were weaned at the end of wk 6. After wk 8, calves were housed together by treatment in superhutches through wk 12. Total milk replacer consumed was greater for INT compared with CON, but CON consumed greater amounts of calf starter over the 8 wk trial. Body weight, withers height, body length, and heart girth were increased during the milk-fed period and through wk 8. Average daily gain was greater for INT at wk 4, at weaning, and at wk 8. Gain to feed ratio was greater for INT than CON. By wk 12, there was no difference in BW between groups. Calving BW and age at first calving were not different between groups. Primiparous cows that were fed INT as calves produced 1,048 kg more milk than CON herdmates. Production of milk protein also was greater for INT, but milk fat did not differ between groups. In conclusion, feeding more milk replacer to calves resulted in greater early growth, but that was not maintained through 12 wk. Regardless, primiparous cows fed INT as calves produced more milk and milk protein than those fed CON.