Calf Nutrition and Management, Part 1

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Del curso dictado por The Pennsylvania State University

Dairy Production and Management

288 calificaciones

The Pennsylvania State University

Dairy Production and Management

288 calificaciones

With the world's first MOOOOO-C, you will gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of all aspects of dairy management such as genetics, nutrition, reproduction, animal health, farm economics, and sustainability of dairy production systems. There's something here for everyone whether you are just looking for the basics or have years of experience in the dairy industry. This is an eight-week course. Each week consists of four to nine video lectures, additional reading materials, and a multiple-choice questions quiz. Estimated study time is between three and five hours per week. Learners have the option to purchase a Course Certificate for 49.00 USD. The certificate can be purchased at any time, but you must verify your identify before taking the course quizzes in order to be eligible. For those who cannot afford the certificate fee, financial aid is available through Coursera. Why is producing milk efficiently and sustainably so important? Milk provides humans with over 16 essential nutrients, such as: Energy, Protein and Essential Amino acids, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, several B vitamins, including B12, Pantothenic and Folic acids, and essential minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, as well as other minerals. Did you know that one glass of milk provides a 5-year old child with 21% of his/her daily protein requirements and 8% of their energy needs? Most milk in the world, about 85%, is produced from cattle. However, water buffaloes, goats, sheep, and camel are also dairy animals. The United States, India, the European Union, Brazil, and New Zealand are among the largest dairy producers in the world. Yet among these dairy-producing countries there are varied methods to generate milk with highly variable productivity and efficiency. Dairy production is vital for the survival of billions of people. Globally, around 150 million small-scale dairy households, equivalent to 750 million people, are engaged in milk production. The number and size of dairy farms varies among countries, but in India alone, there are estimated 78 million dairy farms! In the United States, one of the leading milk-producing countries in the world, total milk production has been steadily increasing in the last decades, reaching over 205 billion pounds (93 billion kilograms) in 2014. This was accompanied by a steady increase in average milk yield per cow, reaching 22,260 lb (over 10,100 kg) per lactation in 2014. How has this efficiency been achieved? What methods are necessary to ensure production of high quality milk? How do we balance milk production efficiency with animal health and environmental protection? This course will provide the student with information to better understand dairy production systems and their role in feeding the world population. In this MOOOOO-C, you will learn about the dairy enterprise from internationally recognized dairy science professors who have delivered highly regarded dairy education programs within the United States and internationally. Course lectures are translated into Portuguese and Chinese; PDF files of these translations can be found under each course week. The Dairy MOOC team thanks Dr. Antonio Branco (Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Brazil) and Ms. Yuanyuan Zhang (Pennsylvania State University) for translating the lecture materials. Course Sponsors This course was supported by the generous contributions of Innovation Center for US Dairy at Silver Level and Pancosma North America, RP Nutrients, Inc. and Arm and Hammer, which provided funding support at a Bronze Level. The Pennsylvania State University has final responsibility for the academic content of this course.

De la lección

Calf and Heifer Nutrition and Feeding of Dry Cows

Calf health, growth, and productivity rely heavily on nutrition and management practices. Every heifer calf born on a dairy farm represents an opportunity to maintain or increase herd size, to improve the herd genetically, or to improve economic returns to the farm. The objectives of raising the newborn calf to weaning age are optimizing growth and minimizing health problems. In this video we will discuss the development of the calf's digestive system, learn how important colostrum is for the immune system, and the nutrients the calf needs to be healthy and grow well. We will discuss critical phases of growth for the dairy heifer, the importance of good facilities, and how nutrition plays an important role in getting a healthy well grown heifer ready to be bred and prepared to have her first calf.Proper management and nutrition of the dairy cow transitioning into lactation is very important for obtaining a healthy calf, increased reproductive efficiency and optimal milk production in the following lactation. We will learn how this can be achieved by feeding balanced diets, providing good cow comfort, and assuring the cow is in good body condition before and after she calves. There are many feeding strategies that work for feeding dry cows however the goal should always be to provide high quality feed sources, consistent availability of feed, adequate bunk space and a comfortable environment. We will discuss how best to manage and feed the dry cow prior to calving so she can transition into lactation with a healthy calf and produce high quality milk. Those of you, who would like to get more engaged in discussions and are interested in completing the Course Certificate requirements, can participate in discussion forums and take the weekly quiz. Enjoy this week's material and the entire course!

Calf Nutrition and Management, Part 110:10

Calf Nutrition and Management, Part 27:11

Dairy Heifer Feeding and Management, Part 18:24

Dairy Heifer Feeding and Management, Part 24:27

Conoce a los instructores

Alexander N. Hristov
Professor of Dairy Nutrition
Animal Science
Troy L. Ott
Professor of Reproductive Biology and Associate Director
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
Bhushan Jayarao
Resident Director
Penn State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL)
Greg Roth
Professor of Agronomy
Plant Science
Gabriella A. Varga
Distinguished Professor of Animal Science
Dairy and Animal Science
Chad Dechow
Associate Professor of Dairy Cattle Genetics
College of Agricultural Sciences
Robert Van Saun
Professor of Veterinary Science and Extension Veterinarian
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Kathy Soder
Research Animal Scientist
USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management
James Dunn
Professor of Agricultural Economics
Agriicultural Economics, Sociology and Education
Lisa A. Holden
Associate Professor of Dairy Science
Animal Science

[MUSIC]

Hello, this is Gabriella Varga.

And today we will talk about calf nutrition management from the time

the calf is born to being weaned off of milk.

Calf health, growth, and

productivity rely heavily on nutrition and management practices.

Every heifer calf born on a dairy farm represents an opportunity to maintain or

increase herd size, to improve the herd genetically, or

to improve economic returns to the farm.

The objectives of raising the newborn calf to weaning age are optimizing growth and

minimizing health problems.

In this video, we will discuss the development of the calf's digestive

system, learn how important colostrum is for

the immune system, and the nutrients the calf needs to be healthy and grow well.

From birth to about two weeks of age, the calf is a monogastric, or

a simple-stomached animal.

The abomasum is the only stomach compartment actively involved in

digestion, and milk or milk replacer provides the main nutrients for the calf.

Let's first get acquainted with the calf's anatomy.

At birth,

the calf's stomach contains the same four compartments found in adult ruminants.

However, the calves reticulum, rumen, and omasum are inactive and undeveloped.

The newborn's functional stomach, the abomasum is similar to a human stomach.

The objective of calf nutrition is to promote rumen development early in life so

that the calf becomes efficient in the absorption of nutrients and

has a much smoother transition at weaning.

So let's start at the beginning of the the calf's life, and

talk about how the calf can digest nutrients, such as those that are in milk.

At birth, the rumen has little tissue development and

lacks a population of microorganisms.

The calf depends mainly on its digestive enzymes,

released primarily from the abomasum and small intestine,

that help bring down the fats, non-fiber carbohydrates and protein.

In the young calf, some liquids can bypass the rumen, and

flow directly to the abomasum through the esophageal groove.

Calves are initially fed colostrum,

their mother's first milk after calving, for about three days after birth.

Within ten minutes, a liquid forms a clot in the abomasum due to enzymes and

hydrochloric acid acting on casein and fat in the milk.

Clotting binds much of the casein and fat into a clump, or a curd,

to be digested slowly by stomach enzymes over a period of 12 to 18 hours.

Curd development allows for limited meal feeding of calves,

compared to other continuous nursing species.

The fraction of milk that does not form a curd is called whey.

Whey is composed of water, minerals, lactose,

and other proteins, specifically, immunoglobulins.

Whey passes directly into the small intestine for

absorption and/or digestion within ten minutes after feeding.

From the small intestine,

immunoglobulins can be absorbed into the calf's bloodstream.

We will discuss the importance of immunoglobulins for

the calf in more detail later.

The lining of the rumen wall in an adult cow

has very pronounced covering of papillae.

These papillae are finger-like projections that greatly increase

the rumen surface area, the area through which nutrients can be absorbed.

Within a few days of birth, the calf's rumen becomes populated with microbes from

feed, the environment in a cow.

The papillae development is stimulated by the end products of

microbial fermentation.

Specifically butyric acid and to a lesser extent propionic acid.

There are two separate components to rumen development.

The first is the physical size of the organ.

By four weeks of age, if the calf is fed only milk, or

milk replacer, the rumen will be quite small.

As milk, or milk replacer, is fed in increasing amounts, the abomasum grows in

size, but the rumen remains proportionally small and grows only moderately.

The longer a calf is fed large amounts of liquid feed,

the greater the restriction on rumen growth relative to the size of the calf.

Lack of rumen development causes a slump in growth rates after weaning.

The second aspect of rumen development is the elongation

of those rumen papillae and the thickening of rumen walls.

Feeding management can drastically affect their development.

A calf fed grain, in addition to milk, shows a great deal more papillae

development and a much thicker, darker, and a more vascularized rumen wall.

Now, compare a third calf fed milk and good quality hay from three days of age.

Despite eating moderate amounts of hay,

the papillae are not developed at all and the rumen wall is quite thin.

This is because the digestion end-products of hay include more acetic acid,

which rumen walls do not use for papillae growth and development.

Calves with access to large amounts of roughage will have

a considerable increase on rumen size.

However, this is due largely to stretching,

not real growth of the rumen tissue.

Feeding calves the correct amount of high-quality colostrum

immediately after birth, plays a critical role in the health of the calf.

Colostrum, defined as milk removed from the mammary gland in

the first 24 hours after birth, contains immunoglobulins that,

when absorbed by the calf's gut, helps the calf to resist disease challenges.

Calves that receive adequate amounts and quality of colostrum,

grow better and are much healthier.

The immunoglobulins found in colostrum are large proteins.

Calves have openings in the small intestine to accommodate the proteins

absorptions, but these openings close shortly after birth.

Three types of immunoglobulins can be found in colostrum.

Immunoglobulin G makes up 70 to 80% of the immunoglobulins,

and helps identify and destroy invading pathogens.

Immunoglobulin M comprises 10 to 15% of immunoglobulins, and

serves as the first line of defense against infection.

And then finally, immunoglobulin A comprises the remaining 15% of

immunoglobulins in colostrum, and protects the mucosal surfaces,

such as the intestine, from invasive pathogenic bacteria.

Colostrum also contains vitamins, minerals, energy, and

proteins needed for calf metabolism, growth, and for

additional stimulation of the calf's immune system.

To make sure that the calf receives immunity from the dam,

colostrum management should focus on three factors immediately after birth.

How soon, how much, and the quality of the colostrum.

Colostrum should be fed within one hour after birth.

Approximately 35% of ingested immunoglobulins can be absorbed when

calves are fed colostrum immediately after birth.

But this declines to less than 5% absorption of

immunoglobulins when calves are fed 20 hours after birth.

Feed Colostrum at a rate of 12 to 15% of the calf's body weight.

Large breed calves, such as Holsteins weighing more than 90 pounds at birth,

can be fed four quarts at birth.

Feed calves weighing between 50 and 90 pounds,

such as Jerseys, three quarts at birth.

If possible, feed an additional two quarts to all calves 12 hours after birth.

Do not allow calves to suckle the dam to obtain colostrum.

Although, suckling does enhance absorption,

research has demonstrated that 25 to 40% of calves left with the dam

will not ingest enough colostrum to attain adequate levels of passive immunity.

Use high-quality colostrum.

Colostrum should have more than 50 grams per liter of immunoglobulins,

this equates to the green reading on a colostrometer.

A colostrometer measures the specific gravity of colostrum prior to feeding.

The quality of colostrum is determined by the amount.

If a cow produces more than 18 pounds of colostrum,

the odds are less than 50% that it will contain sufficient immunoglobulins.

Dry period length.

If a cow has a dry period of less than 45 days, often have poor quality colostrum,

as well as those animals that experienced poor nutrition or

heat stress during the dry period.

The breed.

Holsteins have poorer quality colostrum than other breeds.

Colostrum from Holsteins typically are lower in immunoglobulins than colostrum

from Jersey cows.

And then, the age of the cow.

Older cows tend to have more immunoglobulins than first calf heifers,

as they have been exposed to a greater number of pathogens.

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