Sweet feed for calves is an important part of a cow’s nutrition program. This supplement is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of calves and help them develop a healthy rumen. The Agrimaster Sweet 18% Calf Starter Medicated Feed is available in 50-lb. containers and is suitable for beef and dairy calves.
Contents
Ingredients in sweet feeds
Sweet feeds for calves are a mix of grains, molasses, and other ingredients. They can be as simple as corn cobs, or as complex as pellets that contain sugar. In addition to cereal grains, sweet feeds for calves can include molasses to eliminate dust and increase palatability.
A good sweet feed for calves should contain at least 11% of the recommended DM. The amount to feed will vary based on forage quality and quantity. The recommended amount is half to one percent of body weight per day. Feeding cattle on sweet feeds should be gradually incorporated into the daily feeding schedule. The goal is to reduce any risk of gastrointestinal upset.
A popular sweet feed contains molasses-coated oats. Oats are the lightest grain of any cereal grain and are an energy source for cattle. The high demand for oats in horse feeds makes it a relatively reasonable addition to a nutritional program for cattle.
Calf nutritional requirements
When feeding sweet feed to a calf, consider the nutritional requirements. The calorie content of the feed should not be more than 30% of the calf’s body weight. This amount should be divided into two equal portions, one for each meal. This is to avoid nutrient depletion and to avoid the risk of digestive upset.
Growing calves need a high protein ration to support their growth. The high protein content helps the calves digest food and aids in metabolic functions. It also contains amino acids, which the calves use for growth. The feed also contains fibre, which favors digestion and promotes saliva production. Finally, it provides minerals, such as calcium, to promote healthy bone development and energy metabolism.
In wintering calves, you can also add protein by feeding good-quality legume hay. Alfalfa hay can provide the same amount of protein as soybean meal. Depending on the type of silage, up to 4 to 5 pounds of good-quality legume hay per head is enough to provide sufficient protein levels for the wintering stage of calf growth.
Moose molasses content
The molasses content of sweet feed for calves can be a problem for horses. The horse’s diet is primarily forage, and the sugar and starch content in forage can vary. Some forages can contain as much as 12% sugar. Since there is no standard for the sugar and starch content of forages, determining how much is in a particular feed requires laboratory analysis. However, some companies now list the total sugar and starch content of their products.
The content of molasses in sweet feed varies depending on region. Feeds in the northeast contain 7-10% molasses, while feeds in western areas have 4-7% molasses. It is best to keep molasses content below 12-15%, as too much molasses makes the feed sticky and difficult to handle. It is also recommended to avoid pelleted feeds with a high molasses content, as they may crumble.
Some horse owners are not familiar with the molasses content in sweet feed for calf feed, but this ingredient has been used in livestock feeds for over a century. The first report mentioning molasses in cattle feed was published in 1890. Over time, molasses was added to feed for cattle, swine, goats, and horses. Molasses was a popular feed among horsemen, and the United States Department of Agriculture included it in their list of approved feed for horses.
Weaning methods
The best way to wean calves is to introduce a high-quality milk replacer, ideally one that has a protein content of 28% or higher. Feed your calves one lb of milk solids per day for the first week, then gradually reduce milk solids intake to 0.5 lb per day by about four or five weeks of age. When calves are six or seven weeks old, you can introduce high-quality hay to them.
A high-quality feed will encourage your calf to come back to the feeder. A low-fat or sugar-free feed may discourage your calf. A palatable feed will make your calf feel more comfortable and encourage it to return. Use a supplement such as Accuration(r) Starter with Intake Modifying Technology to encourage consumption. This supplement will help boost the immune system and address respiratory challenges that may be causing your calf to reject the feed.
The study also looked at different feeding methods to determine which is best for a given calf. Using a milk replacer with a high fat and protein content, Hill et al. at the Provimi calf research facility, showed that calves fed at higher rates of protein and fat had a higher chance of making a successful weaning transition. The study also tested a variety of weaning methods and feeding rates, and the results were positive.
