Fresh calves and small cows, which use liquid food as the main feed, are different from adult ruminants because they only have one stomach that functions as a true stomach. When the calf eats milk or milk replacer, the esophageal sulcus is closed, so that the milk avoids the net stomach and the rumen directly into the stomach. However, after feeding the food, the esophageal tract gradually lost its function, the bacterial flora in the rumen began to build up, and the rumen wall began to develop. Finally, due to the establishment and growth of the microbial population in the rumen, the small cows can use and digest the fibrous feed. It is observed that the small cows from 2 months to 4 months old can conclude that their rumen has function. As young cows grow, the required corral area and feeding space increase significantly. In addition, many management measures (including vaccination, parasitic treatment, artificial insemination, height and weight measurement) also require additional space. Facilities for raising cows at larger ages should meet their requirements and facilitate the work of the breeders. The cow's barn should be characterized by easy feeding, bedding and sanitation, animal movement and shackles. Therefore, providing and feeding solid foods as early as possible, creating a good environment can accelerate the development of the rumen and early weaning (5 weeks to 8 weeks).
Rumen development
The rumen can be weaned until it functions properly and maintains the calf's nutritional needs. The final product (volatile fatty acids) produced by rumen fermentation is a stimulant for rumen development. The calf rumen, which lacks solid food stimulation, will not develop, and this technique, which limits rumen development, can be used to raise small beef cattle. It can be seen that the intake of solid food is crucial for the development of the rumen. From the calf eating solid food, the normal bacteria, protozoa and fungal colonies in the rumen are naturally established, although there are hundreds in the rumen. Microorganisms adhere to feed pellets, but only a dozen microbes are the main group. Only those bacteria that can ferment carbohydrates under anaerobic conditions (anaerobic bacteria) can grow rapidly in the rumen, and the final products produced by carbohydrate fermentation (especially acetic acid and butyric acid) are important stimuli for rumen development. Therefore, the intake of high starch feed is more important than the roughage for rumen development. Early feeding of highly palatable calf feed (various cereal mixes) is important for promoting rapid rumen development and smoothing through the weaning period.
Time to start feeding calf feed
The calf feed can be fed to the calf feed 4 days after birth and continued for 4 months (about 6 weeks to 8 weeks after weaning). In the first two weeks after birth, the calf only eats a small amount of solid food. It should try to encourage the calf to eat solid calf feed. 1 calf feed should be mixed with syrup or other palatable nutrients; Feed the calf feed several times to keep the feed fresh; 3 Limit the calf to eat milk, and eat no more than 10% of the weight of the baby at birth: 4 should provide clean and fresh water when feeding the calf feed. As the drinking water increases, the intake of dry feed will also increase; 5 immediately after the calf has finished drinking a small calf feed at the mouth of the calf or the bottom of the milk bucket; 6 calf feed It can also be fed with a bottle with a pacifier to promote ingestion.
Time to feed hay and concentrate
Early studies have shown that a mixture of high quality hay and concentrate is essential for the normal development of the rumen. The action of fiber or roughage is believed to help increase rumen volume and maintain the normal shape of the rumen folds. Conversely, because carbohydrates provide calves with acetic acid and butyric acid necessary for rumen wall development, carbohydrates in concentrates are extremely important. If the calf feed contains less than 25% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), the hay should be replenished. In addition, the calf feed should contain 18% crude protein and 75% to 80% digestible nutrients (TDN). Should contain appropriate vitamins A, D and E.
There are two types of calf feed: grainy calf feed and full-price calf feed. Full-price calf feed has higher fiber content (ie less energy) than grain feed, but both calf feeds can be combined with adult cattle feed (except urea), and full-price calf feed is smaller than grain. Cattle feed is less palatable and therefore has a lower intake. Feeding calf feed before weaning does not require additional supplementation. Usually the grain components in the calf feed are coarse particles formed by rolling and roughing. Because the feed granules are too fine to promote rumen motility, the milled feed is not suitable for feeding calves. Usually 5% syrup can be added to the calf feed to improve palatability. When the calf consumes 1.5 kg per day~2.0 When the calf is fed (3 months old), it can be changed to a cheaper concentrate mixture.
Weaning
Weaning should be carried out when the calf grows well and at least consumes 1% of its grain weight calf feed (500g to 600g for small cattle and 700g to 800g for large cattle). Smaller or weaker. Cattle should continue to feed milk. Only one milk is fed once a day before weaning. Most calves can be weaned from 5 weeks to 8 weeks. The calves fed grain calf feed may be smaller than the full price. The calf of the cattle feed was weaned for a few weeks. Weaning is dangerous before four weeks and can lead to high mortality. However, after eight weeks, weaning increased consumption, because: 1 the calf's feed (fine ratio) is cheaper than milk or milk substitute after weaning; 2 only feeding liquid food will limit the growth of calves, if the calf is better after weaning The transition to eating solid feed (calf feed and roughage) will increase significantly. As mentioned above, feeding the calf feed and then replenishing the roughage before weaning will be better for the calf's nutritional needs and rumen development. However, high quality hay or silage should be fed after weaning. The ingredients in the feed formula should be strictly monitored, especially when the feed formula contains corn silage. After weaning, the feed intake increases and the body weight can and should rise to the long term. The ideal level. At 6 months of age, the concentrate can be fed from 2 kg to 2.5 kg.
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