Feeding calves more for earlier growth and development is better for lifetime productivity; that’s what Sam and Jo Spencer-Bower both learned and experienced by working with AgriVantage for the 2023 season.
“We were referred to AgriVantage for their calf rearing expertise,” said Sam. “And it’s been a game changer. We implemented everything they recommended to improve our calf rearing system, including feeding more, fortifying our milk, and changing our biosecurity product.
“At 9 months old (in May 2024), our calves are 50kg ahead of target weight.”
Sam and Jo own and manage Claxby Estate, a dairy farm at Swannanoa near Rangiora. They milk 2,000 cows across two farms, rearing approximately 500 replacements annually. They also rear 300 wagyu calves to 7 days before sending them to a rearer.
“Pre-season, we had AgriVantage’s (South Island Manager) Cheryl Farrar and (Animal Nutrition Consultant) Natalie Chrystal come on farm. Noting our objectives – to grow our replacements well - and our challenges, they mapped out a new calf rearing protocol.”
Challenges
Sam and Jo’s challenges included moving calves outside at 3 weeks, due to restricted space in the rearing shed, plus getting the calves to a good weaning weight quickly.
“We found that the calves were quite stressed, especially when transitioning to once a day at three weeks. About 25 per cent of them would scour” explained Sam.
“Come weaning (at 85kg), they then struggled with the transition from meal to rich pasture.”
A new calf rearing protocol
Natalie explained how developing a calf earlier, through a higher plane of nutrition, was better for growing more resilient calves which would result in better lifetime production.
Sam and Jo were already brix testing colostrum; Natalie recommended fortifying the colostrum with Launchpad18 if under 22% Brix, or using Launchpad18 as a replacer when colostrum ran short. She also increased the colostrum feeds from two feeds of 2L maternal colostrum to two feeds of 3L.
On the milk feeding front, the recommendation was to increase twice a day feeds from 2L to 3L for the first two weeks. From week 3, she suggested fortifying the whole milk with Sprayfo Blue whey-based milk replacer – to increase the concentration of milk solids and help enhance rumen development. Five weeks prior to weaning, the calves were transitioned from fortified milk to just Sprayfo Blue milk replacer.
Biopect prebiotic was introduced at the three-week transition period. A proactive solution for using when animals are stressed, Biopect works to optimise bacterial flora in the gut and provide an energy boost, helping to prevent scours.
A new biosecurity protocol was detailed for the shed – using Stalosan F in conjunction with disinfectant spray. An ideal solution for absorbing moisture (up to 400% of it’s own weight) and ammonia, Stalosan F improves the rearing environment.
The final recommendation was to wean the animals at 100kg rather than 85kg, and continue feeding meal for longer after weaning.
Sam observes that the new rearing protocol has been ‘a game changer’.
“Feeding more milk at the early stages has boosted our calves. They are healthy, more resilient and have transitioned through the different rearing stages so much more easily.
“Using Sprayfo Blue seems to have helped with getting the rumen development we were after. Having had no issues come weaning, we put that down to the rumen functioning better.
“Adding Stalosan F in the shed has been so much more effective than just spraying with a disinfectant. The environment was noticeably drier.
“All in all, using this protocol, we have definitely grown better calves.”
Sam adds that he and Jo had ‘played around’ around with other milk replacers in the past.
“Sprayfo is much easier to mix, and it stays in suspension. We like the quality and consistency of the product.”
And working with AgriVantage?
“That’s the big difference,” said Sam. “Other people sell milk powder, AgriVantage helps you set up the whole system. Being a calf rearer herself, Cheryl understood our challenges and provided solutions. Combined with Natalie’s expertise, we’ve had a fantastic experience.
“I absolutely recommend AgriVantage if you want to grow better calves.”
Choose Sprayfo AgriVantage products for optimising calf growth
Launchpad18
Colostrum
Sprayfo Blue Calf Milk Replacer
Stalosan biosecurity
aid
