Effect of Nutritional Plane on Health, Performance, and Muscle Metabolism in Neonatal Dairy Calves

Authors

  • T. L. Ollivett Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
  • D. V. Nydam Department of Population Med and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
  • T. C. Linden Department of Population Med and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
  • J. J. Wakshlag Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
  • D. D. Bowman Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
  • M. Van Amburgh Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro20104113

Keywords:

dairy calf, energy requirements, thermoneutral temperature, milk replacer, conventional nutritional plane, higher nutritional plane

Abstract

Neonatal dairy calf maintenance energy requirements are 1.75 Meal per day at thermoneutral temperatures. Conventional milk replacer feeding programs (e.g. 2 quarts of reconstituted solids twice per day) provide approximately 2.2 Meal per day. Considering the abundance of environmental and pathogenic challenges faced by neonatal calves, these conventional programs provide little energy for maintaining body temperature, mounting immune responses, and growing at expected rates of 1 to 2 pounds per day and weight loss often occurs for the initial week of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of conventional nutritional plane versus a higher nutritional plane on the health status, muscle development, and initial weight loss in neonatal dairy calves.

Cover image of the 43rd Conference Proceedings: Two short-horned cattle grazing in a field, surrounded by a flock of egrets. Yellow background.

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Published

2010-08-19

Issue

2010

Section

Research Summaries 1

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