Feeding Principles in Preweaning Calves

In dairy farming, one of the most important and indispensable element of dairy herd management and continuity is care and nourishment of the calves. Calves before weaning are faced with many stress factors such as environmental changes, nutritional problems, poor immunity and pathogens. The disease and deaths occurring in the calves constitute the majority of the financial losses in dairy farming. Aforementioned financial losses show up in the form of direct calf death, costs of long term treatment and decrease in performance. One of the most important issues that should be emphasized till calves wean is the development of rumen in an early and healthy way and enabling transition to solid fodder at optimum time. The strategies regarding how to feed the calves from birth to weaning changes from day to day. Many studies have been conducted related to how much milk, calf starter and coarse fodder should calves consume per day and at which intervals and for how long should these fodders be administered. There are new principles about the scientific progress and improvements in the feeding method which may reduce susceptibility to diseases beside affecting live weight gain positively and reducing calf mortality by contributing to rumen development of calves.