Special Edition: Early animal nutrition
Early nutrition and long-term influence in calves
When looking at nutrition for dairy calves, sometimes it’s not about the immediate result.
Research conducted by Purina Animal Nutrition looked followed the use of a calf-supporting diet through the animal’s first three lactations.
The Missouri-based company found that altering early nutrition could play a role in generating about an additional 6,588lbs of milk.
Similarly, work done by Trouw Nutrition provided calves additional nutrition pre-weaning in an effort to program the cow’s later metabolism. In a longitudinal study, the company found the calves grew to have an altered metabolism, improved survival and earlier first calving.