Calf
Introduction
Nature intended that a calf should be reared with its dam in an outdoor environment. The evolution of the specialised dairy cow meant that this bond would be broken and bucket rearing of calves became the norm in dairy herds. More intensive farming systems and the advent of milk quotas has meant that this system is being pushed to the extreme with young calves now consuming large volumes of whole milk – up to 3/4 gallons per day in cases.
This has some very negative consequences for the calf. Milk is not a balanced feed. It tends to be low in trace elements and it does not carry any vitamins. The farmer is already aware of these facts as, nowadays, when he wants to find out what deficiencies are in his herd, he generally does a milk sample. He also regularly sees milk being promoted to consumers as having added vitamins. This is because it doesn’t contain any naturally.
The more whole milk a calf consumes the slower it will be to eat roughage or concentrate. Hence, its rumen will be slower to develop. After a calf begins to chew its cud it can manufacture its own B vitamins. Before this point it needs supplementation.
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