The best time to feed calves forage to lay a good foundation for weight gain

Calves

    Feeding calves too early or too late is harmful to their growth, development and health. Practice has shown that it is most suitable to start feeding calves forage at 21 days of age. Before 21 days of age, the forestomach (rumen, reticulum and omasum) of calves is very small, and they are not capable of digesting forage and feed; there are also no microorganisms or ciliates present, so they can only obtain milk, which enters the abomasum for absorption and utilization. Feeding forage and feed at this time will increase the burden on the calf's forestomach and cause disease. If forage is fed too late, the stomach and intestines get no exercise, the forestomach grows and develops slowly, and its volume is too small, which also affects growth, development and health.

    After 21 days of age, the calf's forestomach rapidly enlarges, and because it has come into contact with a small amount of food and water, microorganisms enter the forestomach through the mouth; at this point the calf begins to ruminate. Starting to feed it fresh tender green grass, wild vegetables, high-quality dried green hay, ground concentrate and so on at this time, and increasing the feeding amount and the quantity of roughage as it grows older, can avoid causing disease while also speeding up the development of the forestomach and promoting the reproduction of microorganisms and ciliates in the rumen, so that their function of digesting forage and feed gradually strengthens, laying a good foundation for the cattle to later consume large amounts of roughage, grow a large frame and gain more weight.