Previous posts at Calf Sessions have presented ideas on ramping up your calf feeding program during winter cold stress1. I recently combined those feed management ideas with basic environmental management in a movie format: Winterize Your Calf Feeding Program. The movie looks at the effect of environmental temperature changes on the calf, especially the young calf which is physiologically not very well equipped to handle environmental stresses.
When managing calves in cold weather there are a number of things you can do as the temperature drops. Managing the calf’s environment through calf jackets, adequate bedding, minimizing drafts and exposure can have a big impact on the effectiveness of cold weather nutrition strategies. Increasing nutrient intake is a key component of successful cold weather management. The right strategy depends on your local conditions. Colder climates require a more aggressive approach to adequately compensate for higher energy demands on the calf caused by environmental stresses.
Winterize Your Calf Feeding Program presents strategies that you can customize for your winter conditions to help your calves through the cold. Rather than offering an extensive review, I’ll let the movie speak for itself…
1Previous winter feeding posts:
- Calf Feeding: Cold Weather Feeding, Energy Intake & Solids Level
- Calf Feeding: Environmental Temperature & Energy
