Feeding programs for calves

To ensure that calves grow quickly and gain weight, it is essential to develop a proper diet, as a complete and balanced ration is a key factor affecting growth, health, and future productivity of the animals.

Balanced feeding

ensures weight gain, strengthens the immune system, and supports the overall condition and development of calves.

Special attention should be given to one-month-old calves, as early-life feeding plays a crucial role in their further development. For newborn calves, the first and most important feed is colostrum, which is rich in antibodies, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that form immunity. However, starting from the fourth day of life, calves should be gradually introduced to high-quality pelleted compound feed, developed according to their age-specific needs. From 12 days old up to two months of age, high-quality compound feed should always be available in the feeder, along with fresh water.

The main goal of raising young stock is to replenish the herd with highly productive animals, and farmers know what to feed calves to support their growth and development. Proper feeding is the best investment in the future, as heifers will be able to realize their genetic potential and generate high profits for the farm. Animals raised for fattening will gain weight thanks to a well-designed diet, and the farmer will achieve the expected result.

In order for calves to fully express their genetically inherited productivity potential, it is necessary to create optimal feeding and housing conditions from the very first days to ensure normal growth and development. Calves born to highly productive cows and properly developed have every chance, with the right care, to surpass their parents’ results.

Neglecting the basics of proper calf feeding leads to inevitable and undesirable consequences. Feeding errors result in animals not receiving enough nutrients, which weakens them and significantly slows their development—often with fatal outcomes.

For instance, protein deficiency in calves may manifest as slow growth and weight gain, weakened immunity, and hair loss. To prevent this, the diet should include professional compound feeds, premixes, and PVMS (protein-vitamin-mineral supplements), which contain all necessary components for the healthy growth of calves of different ages and purposes.

Each stage of a calf’s life requires a different approach to feeding, so it is important to remember that nutrient deficiency or excess may lead to digestive problems, which in turn affects weight gain. VITAGRO NUTRITION produces highly professional compound feeds, supplements, and PVMS that are balanced with all essential nutrients and vitamin-mineral additives that contribute to bone and muscle formation, metabolism, and improvement of the nervous system.

A common mistake in calf feeding is irregular food intake, insufficient or excessive feeding, or abrupt transition from one type of feed to another. A proper calf diet is not only about nutritious food—it also needs to be of high quality, age-appropriate, and in accordance with all feeding standards and schedules.

VITAGRO NUTRITION specialists recommend using high-quality professional feeding programs that are optimally balanced with all necessary elements.