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Early Weaning Strategies

By Coleen M. Jones
Jud Heinrichs
 
Introduction
 
Latest estimates of average weaning age in the United States indicate that 70% of calves are weaned at 7 weeks of age or later. In addition, 25% of farms surveyed said they weaned calves at 9 weeks or later. Considering that calves with adequate rumen development can be physiologically ready for weaning as early as 3 weeks of age, many farms have a significant opportunity to reduce age at weaning and save money and time spent on calves. Early weaning is not a new concept, but in times of ever-tightening margins, you may benefit from reconsidering your current practice. This factsheet will present some data from recent research into early weaning strategies and offer suggestions to make it work for your farm.
 
Rumen development: the key to success
 
First a quick review of rumen development, which is essential for a successful early weaning program. When the calf begins to eat dry feed, especially starter, the rumen begins to supply nutrients produced by fermentation and the population of rumen bacteria begins to grow. Fermentation of the starch component of grain produces volatile fatty acids (VFA), particularly butyrate, which stimulate growth of rumen papillae and metabolic activity in the rumen. After about 3 weeks of eating grain, the calf's rumen will have enough bacteria fermenting enough feed to supply a substantial amount of energy. The rumen bacteria themselves also provide an important source of nutrition--microbial protein--as they are washed out of the rumen, digested, and absorbed in the small intestine. Microbial protein is very digestible and contains a very favorable profile of amino acids relative to the needs of the growing calf.
 
From a management standpoint, we can assist rumen development by providing free-choice water and a quality grain in the first few days after birth. With this feeding strategy, by 3 to 4 weeks of age the calf's rumen can be well-developed and ready for the change to a diet of solid feeds. The sooner starch is digested by the calf, the sooner rumen development occurs. It takes about 21 days to develop the rumen papillae from the initial time that grain is fed. This development time is from when grain is first fed, be it 2 days of age or 20 days of age. That is where management plays a big role in determining rumen development and weaning age. Assisting the calf in eating those first few bites of grain can have dramatic, positive effects on starting the process of rumen development.
 
Will calves still grow and be healthy?
 
Over the years, many research studies have shown no differences between calves weaned at 6 or 8 weeks of age. In addition, many producers regularly and successfully wean calves at 4 to 6 weeks of age. Weaning at this age is cost effective because it gets calves started on dry feeds sooner, saving money on labor and feed costs. Recent research at Penn State has investigated the impact of weaning age on calf performance and first lactation milk production. In two experiments, 124 male and female calves were weaned at 3, 4, 5, or 6 weeks of age and studied through 8 weeks of age. Milk replacer for this study contained 22 percent protein and 15 percent fat and was fed at 10 percent of birth weight. This amounted to about 1.2 pounds per day or 10 ounces of powder per feeding. Milk replacer was reduced by half in the week before weaning. Calves received milk in two feedings per day for the first trial. In the second trial, milk was fed twice per day until 2 weeks of age; then calves received all milk in one feeding per day until weaning. Calves weaned at 3 weeks were fed exactly the same in these two trials. In addition, calves were fed a high quality, free-choice calf starter (22% protein on a dry matter basis) with special attention to assisting calves to eat if they had not begun consuming starter by 5 days of age.
 
The table below presents the results of this research. Body weight at 8 weeks of age was the same for all calves and averaged 164 pounds. This meant that calves nearly doubled their birth weight by 8 weeks of age, a good parameter in any calf feeding system. Average daily gains also were similar. Height at the hips and withers was similar too, regardless of weaning age. Calves stood 35 inches at the hips and 33 inches at the withers by 8 weeks of age.
 
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