Calf Starter Feeds 101:
The single most important job of a starter feed is to get calves to eat. When weaning calves, getting them eating from day one can help equip their immune systems to better deal with stress and improve their chance to stay healthy. Palatability is extremely important when making a feed selection because it’s what drives calves to start and continue eating. A less palatable feed might take a calf three days to really start consuming; that’s 72 hours when a calf’s energy and protein reserves are depleting, and their immune status is in jeopardy.
A palatable calf starter feed:
- Drives calves to start and continue eating
- Maintains a calf’s energy and protein reserves
- Builds rumen microbe populations
- Maintains strong immune system for healthy calves
- Supports optimal calf performance
A quality starter feed should also have research-proven consumption. When making your starter feed selection, ask questions about palatability and request intake research.
Selecting a Weaning Ration for Beef Calves
A weaning ration for beef calves should fit your management style and goals for weaning calves. Select a self-fed or handfed starter feed based on your labor resources, feeding facilities and performance goals. Complete feeds and supplements are available based on your existing forage.
No matter what starter you choose, a nutrition program designed for weaning calves should support healthy calves and more pounds. Calves with proper nutrition have stronger immune systems and are less likely to get sick.
Support the Immune System for Healthy Calves
The Purina® starter line contains RX3® Immune Support Technology, which does more than provide high-quality nutrition. It primes the immune system to address calf health stressors and respiratory challenges head-on.
Research showed calves fed Purina® starters with RX3® Immune Support Technology compared to control calves:
- Had less variation in average daily gain and were more uniform
- Gained 6 pounds more, on average, within a 30-day period
- Bounced back faster (when encountering health challenges) and looked healthier quicker
Achieving more healthy calves helps minimize labor and costs, putting more potential dollars back in your pocket.
Your Partner in Weaning Calves
When considering a weaning ration for beef calves, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Talk through your goals for weaning calves with your nutritionist. They can help you identify a starter feed to fit your forage availability, labor resources, feed type preference, feeding facilities and cattle genetics.
Your nutritionist can also help develop a budget, set realistic expectations for your program and help sort through different market scenarios and potential return on investment.
