Maintaining optimal calf growth and health during cold weather can be a delicate balance. As temperatures drop, it’s essential to keep calves’ energy levels up, stress levels down, and facilities well-prepared to help them thrive through winter. Below are some tips to support your calf program and ensure you’re meeting their winter needs.
DON’T LET COLD HINDER GROWTH
Cold stress can impact calves even at temperatures as mild as 60°F. This is because calves have a higher surface-area-to-bodyweight ratio than older animals, making them more susceptible to the cold. Cold stress raises their energy requirements, which, if unmet, can lead to weight loss and weakened immune function. To support their increased energy needs, consider adding a third feeding of milk or milk replacer, ideally in the evening. Seasonal formulations of milk replacer are specifically designed to help calves thrive in colder weather.
Check the solids in your milk replacer to ensure calves are receiving the right concentration. Aim for about 13.5-15% solids, which helps meet their maintenance and growth requirements during the winter. A Phoenix Feeds & Nutrition calf specialist can assist with this calculation and adjust feeding recommendations based on your calves’ unique needs.
KEEP WATER AND FEED FRESH
Cold weather can dry out the air, leading to dehydration even if calves don’t seem to be drinking less. Offer warm water (100–105°F) after each feeding, especially for calves in hutches, to prevent them from expending extra energy to heat cold water to body temperature. Staying proactive in hydration is especially crucial for sick calves, as the combination of illness and cold stress can take a toll on their health quickly.
USE DEEP STRAW BEDDING FOR WARMTH AND HEALTH
Using deep straw bedding helps calves retain body heat by allowing them to nest down and conserve energy. Proper bedding reduces the amount of energy they need to stay warm and has been shown to lower the risk of respiratory disease. Calves should be able to bed down deeply enough that their legs and lower body are covered, which provides added insulation.
Use a 1–3 bedding scorecard to evaluate if bedding packs are deep enough based on how much of the calf’s legs show when laying down:
1 – All of the legs showing
2 – Half of the legs showing
3 – No legs showing
A score of 3 is ideal, and a score of 1 indicates it’s time to add bedding to the pack.
Use the knee test as a quick way to test if bedding is dry. If you put your knee down and it stays dry, your bedding is fine. If the knee comes away wet, it’s time to re-bed.
CALF JACKETS
Calf jackets are highly effective at preserving body heat. Use calf jackets for calves at least up until 1 month of age, or until the calf jacket becomes too snug, or if the calf no longer keeps the jacket on. Jackets are especially helpful in the first few weeks when calves are most vulnerable to cold stress.
BALANCE ENERGY SOURCES
A common misconception is that increasing fat in the diet during cooler weather will make up for a calf’s increased energy demands. However, providing the correct balance of fat and carbohydrates is the key to achieving optimal energy intake. A 50 percent increase in calf milk replacer powder can yield a 50 percent increase in energy. Alternatively, a 100 percent increase in fat alone in the calf diet may only generate a 12 percent energy increase (NRC 2001).
Feed 2.5 pounds of milk replacer powder per calf per day to ensure they’re receiving enough energy.
Our team can also help calculate the specific caloric needs for growth and maintenance during the colder months.
PUT EMPLOYEES ON HIGH ALERT
With calves more vulnerable to disease in winter, it’s important to train employees to recognize early signs of illness, such as decreased feed intake or droopy eyes and ears. Increased vigilance and regular health checks can help identify and address issues quickly, minimizing the impact of illness during cold, high-risk periods.
DON’T FORGET POST-WEANED HEIFERS
Cold weather doesn’t just affect young calves—post-weaned calves also require special attention. To ease the transition and reduce stress, keep post-weaned calves in small groups for up to three weeks and maintain a consistent diet. Help promote intakes post-weaning by maintaining a consistent diet and feed the same calf starter, through twelve weeks. Then, feed calves a grower feed as they transition to a diet higher in fiber.
NEED SUPPORT IN CREATING A WINTER CALF PLAN?
Phoenix Feeds & Nutrition offers personalized assistance to help your calves stay healthy and strong through the colder months. Help keep calves growing with these management tips and by working with your local calf and heifer specialist to build a winter calf plan for your farm.