division of Agricultural Sciences UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNly Reducing costs of Raising Dairy Heifer Replacements Lloyd P. Sharp • Wallace Sullivan CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL t Station CIRCULAR 435 The Problem Probably the greatest need of the dairy industry in California today is for replacement heifers of good production heritage. Many of the larger dairies in and near metropolitan areas are often handi- capped by lack of pasture and room for growing out their own replacement stock. As a result, their day-old calves are sold to calf buyers who finish them as vealers. This is a waste of potential breeding stock, especially in the case of the better dairy herds. Far too many dairymen sell all their calves when one day old and depend on buying mature cows for replacements. This method is costly, and the culling percentage is likely to be much greater for several reasons: • The cull cow sold as beef may not bring more than one-half or two-thirds the original purchase price. This means a pos- sible loss of from $100 to $250 per head, which adds to the cost of producing milk. • It is almost impossible to improve the production of a herd when this kind of a program is followed. • It is also hazardous from the standpoint of controlling such diseases as brucellosis, mastitis and certain other diseases common to dairy cattle. A Practical Solution A better plan is to contract the growing out of the heifer calves from high-producing cows with experienced calf raisers who have adequate pasture and equipment. Such operations are becoming increasingly successful because of new techniques, artificial insemi- nation, better understanding of sanitation and calfhood diseases and increased knowledge of feed and nutrient requirements. In- formation concerning calf raisers can be obtained at county offices of the University of California Agricultural Extension Service. The Authors: Lloyd P. Sharp is a farm advisor in the Riverside County office of the Agricultural Extension Service. Wallace Sullivan is an Extension Economist in farm management, Berkeley. MARCH, 1954 The Program outlined in this leaflet can produce a two-year-old dairy calf for approximately $255.12, including cost of calf, feed, and labor. (Based upon 1952 costs.) To allow for cow replacement and calf mortality, a dairyman should, each year, raise one-third as many heifers as there are cows in the herd. Therefore this economical plan can result in appre- ciable savings. There are four distinct periods in this plan, based on the age of the calf. Total digestible nutrients required during these periods and estimated costs are as follows: Age of Calf Total Digestible Nutrients Feed Costs Birth to 3 months 242 pounds $ 21.82 3 to 6 months 369 pounds 20.70 6 to 12 months 1375 pounds 45.75 12 to 24 months 3150 pounds 103.50 Total feed $191.77 Labor, etc. (20%) 38.35 Cost of calf 25.00 Total costs $255.12 The first two periods, which involve raising the calf to the weaning age, or to the age for pasture, may be carried out by the owner. The calf may then be sold or transferred to operators with more economical feed facili- ties and pasture for growing out to first freshening. The reduced costs in this program are due largely to the minimum feeding of milk. Since fresh milk is the most expensive single item of food, savings can be made by using powdered whole and skimmed milk. This practice is actually safer from a standpoint of sanitation. Commercial calf starters are usually high priced and should be replaced in the calfs diet as soon as practicable. The objective is to get the calf on lower cost feeds, grain, hay and pasture as soon as possible without slowing up growth. The first three months are the most critical period in the life of a calf. Special attention should be given to the suggestions on the following page. [3] % the size and condition of the calf. Over- feeding must be avoided since this may cause digestive disturbances. The milk should be warmed to between 90 and 100 degrees F. A popular method of feeding milk is with a nipple on a half-gallon bottle. A calf-starter, grain mix and good hay should be placed in the feed boxes to teach the calf to eat at an early age. Fresh drinking water should be hand fed for the first 3 weeks. Second Week By the second week the calf should be consuming 7 pounds of whole milk per day. This amount should be gradually increased. Give the calf as much calf-starter and concentrates as it will eat. Leafy alfalfa should be available at all times, for it supplies bulk to the ration in addition to being high in protein and vitamin A. .Ill Personal attention is necessary to teach young calves to eat dry feeds. Fresh drinking water should be hand fed for the first 3 weeks. First Week The feed and care which the newborn calf receives during the first week is ex- tremely important. For the first 2 days, the calf should be given colostrum milk. This is rich in vitamin A and contains antibodies that aid the calf in resisting early bacterial infections. The calf should receive whole milk at the rate of about 6 pounds per day, di- vided into morning and evening feed- ings. This amount should be gradually increased during the week, depending on Third Week By this time the calf should be con- suming 8 pounds or more of whole milk, depending on the individual calf. A good guide is: "Feed 1 pound of milk per day for each 10 pounds of body weight." Continue to give as much starter and concentrate as the calf will consume. By now the calf should have free access to fresh drinking water. Fourth Week Now is the time to gradually change from whole milk to skim milk. By the start of this week, the calf should be drinking from a pail. Calf starter may be discontinued at this time, and the grain concentrate mix- ture increased to about 2 pounds daily — or whatever the calf will eat. The calf should have free access to good leafy alfalfa hay. [4] Fifth Week Gradually reduce milk to about 6 pounds daily and increase grain concen- trate as much as the calf will eat. Keep leafy alfalfa hay available at all times. Sixth Week Continue to decrease milk feeding un- til the calf is weaned at the end of the week. Feed the calf all the grain con- centrates it will eat and continue to sup- ply good leafy alfalfa hay. After it is weaned, the calf should be turned out into a large corral where it can exercise and have free access to hay and water. Grain concentrate should be gradually changed to the post-weaning formula listed on page 7. This should be fed in increasing amounts until the calf is re- ceiving all it will eat. Continue this schedule until the calf is 3 months old. Nipple-capped bottles are hung in special frames to provide calves with their daily milk ration. [5] 2 6 4 - 3 £ 3 Whole ilk ANGEjiil !^W1HS^^ 10 12 13 12 3 4 5 6 7 Age in weeks This chart shows in graphic form the suggested minimum milk feeding schedule for the first 3 months. It should be used only as a general guide since all calves differ in feed requirements. The range in pounds of digestible nutrients is based upon the standards for growing calves in Morrison's "Feeds and Feeding." Note the wide range in digestible nutrient requirements. There are many different kinds of feed and each must be calculated on its merits. Low-cost feeds which meet nutrient requirements should be used whenever possible. Hay and pasture are usually low in cost compared to other feeds. 3-6 Months Pasture should be made available to the calf at 3 months of age. Although not essential, this gets the calf into the sun, provides exercise and helps fortify the ration with vitamin A. Continue feeding grain concentrates with free access to good alfalfa hay. 6-12 Months From 6 months on, the heifer will grow more rapidly and will do so eco- nomically if good pasture is available. This rapid growth is essential if the heifer is to be bred at an early age. Continue liberal feeding of grain con- centrate and good hay. 12-24 Months Maximum use of pasture should be made during this period since it is usu- ally the cheapest feed. Two pounds of grain and 4 or 5 pounds of hay per head per day will usually be needed as supplement to maintain development. Easily accessible feeding troughs keep leafy alfalfa hay before calves during first 3 months. [6] Large corrals afford growing calves exercise, sun and free access to hay, water and shelter. A good calf starter is important Since this program attempts to keep milk consumption to a minimum, it is important to start the calf eating a good starter and other concentrates as soon as possible. It is usually advisable to buy ready- mixed calf starter. The following ration, recommended by Cornell University, can be used in California. Replacing corn with barley will probably reduce costs without weakening the ration. Cracked corn 194.7 pounds Crushed oats 200 Wheat bran 150 Linseed meal 100 Dried skim milk 50 Soybean meal 140 Corn molasses 50 Alfalfa meal 70 Brewer's yeast 30 Irradiated yeast Va Ground limestone 5 Dicalcium phosphate or steamed bone meal .... 5 Iodized salt 5 The Wisconsin Experiment Station recommends the following ration: Ground yellow corn 300 pounds Ground oats 300 Wheat bran 100 Linseed meal 100 Soybean meal 100 Dried skim milk or dried buttermilk 100 Iodized salt 10 Irradiated yeast Va The California Experiment Station recommends the following concentrate mixture for feeding weaned calves to 3 months old: Rolled barley 35 pounds Rolled oats 21 Wheat bran or mill bran .... 21 Linseed meal 7 Fish meal 10 Soybean meal 4 Salt 1 Steamed bone meal 1 Cornell recommends the following grain concentrate: Ground corn (barley) 280 pounds Ground oats 300 Wheat bran 300 Soybean or linseed meal .... 100 Salt 10 Steamed bone meal or dicalcium phosphate .... 10 [7] These well-matured, good-sized heifers with good capacity for production show how the feeding program described in this circular produces heifers ready for freshening at an early age. sites, poisons of various kinds, faulty nutrition or inherited abnormalities. Many calf diseases can be traced to a lack of proper sanitation. Therefore, in addition to developing a calf's resistance to disease by proper feeding and man- agement, the dairyman should prevent disease-producing germs from contami- nating his premises and keep infected calves from spreading the disease. Sanitation is essential Keeping the calf free of disease is one of the most difficult problems in this op- eration. One out of every 5 calves dies before it is 6 months old. Most of these deaths occur before 6 weeks of age. Common afflictions include abnormal conditions resulting from injuries, bac- terial and virus infections, internal para- Weights 1200 1100 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 Birth 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 This chart shows the ages and weights at which a heifer should be bred. It is based on growth and freshening trials conducted at Cornell University. Good calves can be brought into produc- tion 2 or 3 months early by feeding them for more rapid growth and development since the production of a dairy cow is determined both by inheritance and her size and capacity to con- sume feed beyond her maintenance requirements. The program outlined on the preceding pages also reduces replacement costs by developing heifers that are well-matured with the size and capacity for heavy production. [8] Freshen — at these weights AY M %h /\\v f oNv^ 1) ■ ¥• Brc •ed Heifers — ^V^ / J if? K- .-•'•*" Holsteins 750-850 Guernseys 550-650 Jerseys 500-600 It ^" 7^ \W AW I- ,^*' ..••-? p ,..*** - Hoist .. Guer - Jerse sins y /..] ''I*** ,*~ nsey ,*' — • f ^^* *£:•> These practices will help prevent losses • Remove all mucus from nose and mouth of calf immediately after it is born. If the new-born calf fails to start breathing immediately, apply artificial respiration by alternately compressing and relaxing the chest walls with your hands or slap the calf's chest vigorously. • If the cow fails to dry the calf by lick- ing, rub it dry with a piece of sack or cloth. • Paint the navel with iodine immedi- ately after birth to prevent infection. Dust the navel with boric acid to aid healing. • Be sure the calf nurses within an hour after birth. A weak calf may need to be held up to the cow. • Avoid overfeeding or sudden changes in feeds or feeding methods. Proper feed- ing helps prevent disease. • Feeding utensils should be rinsed with cold water, washed thoroughly with soap and hot water, rinsed in hot water and hung in the sun to dry. Where scours or other diseases are present, calf buckets should be sterilized with a chemical if steam is not available. • Provide adequate shelter from rain and cold and shade from the sun. • Keep litter in calf pen clean and dry. Remove soiled litter before adding clean bedding. • Thoroughly clean and disinfect calf pen as soon as it is emptied. • Control flies with lindane or other effective insecticides. This is vital to proper sanitation. • Dehorning should be accomplished as early as possible. An electric iron is a convenient and satisfactory tool. If caus- tic potash is used, dehorning should be done 3 or 4 days after birth. Clip hair around the horn buttons and apply a ring of grease to prevent the caustic potash from touching skin or running into eyes. Apply the stick of caustic po- tash by rubbing horn buttons until they become reddened. Do not get caustic potash on your hands. An efficient job of dehorning can be done with an electric iron. Here is a bird's-eye view of a commercial calf-raising layout which demonstrates the production line technique employed by the operators. The numbers on the drawing show the relative positions of: 1. Individual calf pens. 2. The laboratory where formulas are mixed. 3. Sheltered feed troughs, water, and hay racks. 4. Large corrals. 5. The pasture area. [in Dairyman Compare your costs of feeding a dairy heifer with these: Age Items of feed Sample costs Quantity per head Price per cwt. Total costs Birth to 3 months *Whole milk— (3 weeks) pounds 147 109 20 181 87 dollars 5.00 2.00 7.50 5.00 2.00 dollars 7.35 2.18 1.50 9.05 1.74 *Skim milk — (3 weeks) Calf starter 3 weeks Mixed grain concentrate Hay Total 242f 21.82 3-6 Grain concentrate mix 270 360 5.00 2.00 13.50 7.20 months Hay (av. 41b.) Pasture Total 369 f 20.70 6-12 months Grain concentrate mix (av. 2 lb.) Hay (av. 4 lb.) 375 750 700f 5.00 2.00 2.00| i 18.75 15.00 12.00 Pasture — 6 h.m. Total 1375f 45.75 12-24 months Grain concentrate mix <>v. 2 lb.) Hay 750 1500 1800 f 5.00 2.00 3.00| 37.50 30.00 36.00 Pasture — 12 h.m Total 3150f 103.50 Total all feed costs 191.77 * Reconst ituted powder. t Total nutrients. f Per 1 Lead month. These cost figures are based on the program outlined in this circular for the rapid and economical development of dairy heifer replacements. They represent approximately 80 per cent of the total cost of raising a heifer to two years of age. The figures above are based upon a calf weighing 90 pounds at birth. The mixed concentrates contained 80 per cent digestible nutrients and the hay 50 per cent. Pasture was used to supply the balance of required digestible nutrients. Cooperative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, College of Agriculture, University of California, and United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8. and June 30, iyi4 J. Earl Coke, Director, California Agricultural Extension Service. 10m-3,'54(A8793)HSC