THE WAY NEWBORN CALVES WILL BE

RAISED IN THE Future IS HERE Today!

Manufactured By:

Blue Diamond Industries, LLC101 Industrial Parkway So. • PO Box 561

Strawberry Point, Iowa 52076E-MAIL: bdi@cozycalfcribs.net

PHONE: (563) 933-2269 • FAX: (563) 933-4113www.cozycalfcribs.net

DiscussionAchieving higher levels of milk intake when feeding only twice per day can often be challenging; manure becomes thin and is anecdotally depicted as diarrhea. The concept of smaller meals being offered more frequently could lead to improved digestion and may also aid in the prevention of severe scouring.

There are perceived health concerns when calves have nose-to-tail contact. In group housing with automated feeding systems, labor is relieved from preparing, feeding and cleaning duties associated with milk delivery and so more time can be invested in observing calves and proactive identification of subclinical calves. Automatic calf feeder systems are also a tool for early detection of illness through intake monitoring. This can lead to minor illnesses being treated early, thus preventing more debilitating illnesses and reducing the overall cost of medications.

At the Grober Centre, improved gains from group-fed calves may be attributed to the significant increase (P<0.05) in starter intake from automatic grain feeders prior to weaning. However, during weaning, calves in individual pens achieved similar calf starter intake compared to group-housed calves.

ConclusionsBenefits of group feeding calves via computerized automatic machine were: reduced labor, consistent concentration and temperature of milk replacer fed and reduced medication costs. Both systems achieved similar growth at weaning, but earlier weaning was possible with group-fed calves on a strict feeding regime.

Challenges that were noted and require further attention: remember that machines cannot observe calves – people do. Develop group feeding programs based on individual calf observations, make good use of the production data recorded, continued introduction of new calves – re-establishing hierarchy – and selecting calves for group housing with automation may require a thrifty calf with a strong suckling reflex. PD

References omitted due to space but are available upon request by e-mailing editor@progressivedairy.com.Kathleen Shore - NutritionistGrober Nutrition - kshore@grober.comReprint from Progressive Dairyman - March 2, 2010

1) Energy Efficient – Radiant hot water heat in the floor has proven to be the most cost effective method of providing heat in any kind of housing.

2) Building Sizes Are Reduced By As Much As 50% - Save valuable real estate and cut building costs.

3) More Calves In Less Space – Allow 12 sq. ft. per calf, not the traditional 25-32 sq. ft. required when using a bedded pack

4) Requires No Bedding – Bedding and labor costs for handling are virtually eliminated. Calves stay drier and cleaner.

5) Minimal Clean Up Time Between Groups – nothing to take apart, remove or haul to another site to clean or disinfect

6) Warm Barns In Winter Have The Potential for Faster Weight Gains – Tests have shown more energy from feed in-take goes directly to growth and bone development for healthier, faster gaining calves

7) Handle Waste From The Calves As A Liquid – Requires less time and energy to dispose of manure

8) Earlier Wean Times – Saves $$ on expensive milk replacer products

Blue Diamond Industries, LLC101 Industrial Parkway So. • PO Box 561 • Strawberry Point, Iowa 52076

E-MAIL: bdi@cozycalfcribs.net • PHONE: (563) 933-2269 • FAX: (563) 933-4113 • www.cozycalfcribs.net

FEATURES & BENEFITS OF GROUP FEEDING CALVES ON HEATED “COZY FLOOR” SYSTEMS

For the past three years, Blue Diamond Industries LLC has been designing and constructing calf-rearing facilities utilizing the benefits of group housing and computer controlled feeding systems. Our research team has pioneered a new product called “Cozy Floor” to take even more labor out of raising calves. Cozy Floor is a self supported, self cleaning hot water heated floor system, designed to eliminate the use of bedding under calves.

What are the benefits?Feeders can be configured according to the objectives of the individual farm. They can be adapted to changes in farm requirements (e.g. calf numbers, medication, feed type, etc.). Farmers can set feed schedules and monitor those schedules to achieve desired weight gains. Feeding hygiene can be easily maintained with automatic feeders. Also, automatic grain feeders can assist in the early weaning of calves. This system provides labor savings with flexible management.

Accelerated feedingThe advantages of feeding calves more milk are widely published. Areas studied include calf growth, height, starter consumption, medication use/costs, time management and the increased output of milk during the first lactation.

For example, enhanced/accelerated feeding programs with high-protein milk replacer fed at ad-libitum rates supports higher daily live-weight gains with minimal fat deposition supporting growth for taller, well-proportioned heifers with higher milk production potential. Ad-libitum nipple feeding of milk to dairy calves can allow for increased milk intake and weight gain with no detrimental effects on intake of solid feed after weaning.

Total consumption of calf starter diet prior to weaning has been shown to be similar when comparing a conventional, single-hutch, twice-daily feeding management system with a group pen computerized feeding system. Also, calves in the group pen had fewer days of medication than did those in hutches, and the time needed to manage a calf in a hutch amounted to approximately 10 times that required per calf in the group pen.

A recent study concluded that feeding high levels of milk or milk replacer improved weight gain and reduced unrewarded visits to the milk feeder, improving the efficiency of use of the milk feeders. No increased incidence of disease was found for high-fed calves and lying time was also higher for high-fed calves but only at an older age (4 to 5 weeks).

Group feeding experienceWe have been evaluating group housing feeding systems to establish further on-farm practice and benefits. Data has been collated from CY Heifer Farms in Elba, New York, and more recently, from the Grober Young Animal Development Centre in Woodstock, Ontario. The trials were set up to examine and quantify the growth, development, medication usage rate and economics when feeding milk replacer to group-fed calves compared with individual-fed calves.

CY Heifer Farms has been custom-raising heifers for more than 10 years. This facility has traditionally reared calves either in individual pens in calf-only barns or outside hutches. Data was collected and collated from traditionally reared calves, housed in individual stalls in one barn and fed on a twice-a-day feeding schedule (average of 930 grams per day) and computer-controlled feeder groups of 25 calves per group. The feeding schedule was designed to maximize milk intake in a shorter time frame.

ResultsThe first data set from CY Farms was evaluated based on 582 calves and concluded no significant difference, in live weight at 60, 88 or 190 days of age and growth rate, between the two feeding practices.

Group-fed calves showed a significantly lower medication cost (P<0.05) during the trial period compared to individually fed calves. Observed cases of navel, eye and respiratory problems was not significantly different between the treatment groups.

Recent data from the Grober Centre compared calves in groups (fed via an automatic calf feeding machine) and individual pens (fed twice daily). All calves received a daily allowance of 6 liters of the same milk replacer. Results show that calves in groups exceeded average daily gains compared to individually housed calves starting Week 5 and continuing past weaning.

While average daily gain often fluctuates due to environmental and health influences, there was no significant difference in average bodyweight until weaning or Week 7. Throughout weaning and post-weaning, calves in group housing achieved a significantly higher average bodyweight.

CALF GROUP HOUSING: PRINCIPLES AND EXPERIENCE Written by Kathleen ShoreA case study

Calf producers have traditionally raised calves in individual pens or hutches. This system of calf rearing has advantages of individual feeding, observation and reduced risk of cross-contamination. It is, however, still labor-intensive. Dairy cattle are naturally group-living animals.

Group-housed calves can facilitate early social interaction and learn to understand group behavior. Research is now proving that well-managed, group-housed calf-rearing systems can provide advantages for both calves and producers.

Why keep calves in groups?Group housing of calves has many time and labor-saving advantages. It provides improved access to space, allowing for more vigorous activity, and with automation, it improves feed consistency and number of feedings. Group housing can facilitate earlier socialization. Moreover, there may be minimization of stress associated with changes in feed and environment post-weaning for calves. Aggression between calves is rare, and calves seem to habituate to repeated mixing.

Feeding systems for group housingGroup housing requires a method of feeding milk that provides each calf with its nutritional requirements to meet growth goals. It can often require intensive management. Methods of feeding milk to group-fed calves have included cold ad-libitum feeding, mob feeders and semi-automatic/ad libitum machines. In non-automated group housing, individual intake is difficult to monitor. The new generation of computer-controlled automatic feeding systems can now effectively feed and monitor group-housed calves on an individual basis with all the advantages of labor saving. Moreover, subclinical or ill calves can be easily identified and treated quickly and appropriately.

Automatic feeding systemsThe new generation of computer-controlled feeding systems can be easily programmed to provide an individual-controlled portion. Calf transponders allow multiple small portions of milk to be fed to calves at specific intervals. Milk is delivered to the calf at a controlled temperature. Feeding plans allow animal-specific feed quantities and feeding days. Automatic cleaning programs maintain hygiene levels.

Typically an individual feeder unit has the capacity to feed up to 80 to 120 calves at any one time. One feeder can usually feed up to four different groups of calves.

There is software available to accumulate a significant amount of information and provide detailed data analysis of individual calves and/or the group for high management control with low labor requirements. An example of data collected includes daily milk replacer intake; number of visits to the feeder, which can be graphed; and measurements of the volume of water added to powder. Alarms will be triggered when deviation occurs. Individual medication, electrolyte/additive administration programs are also available options.