Weaning is one of the most critical phases in calf rearing. Many dairy farmers experience a temporary reduction in growth when calves transition from milk to solid feed. However, with the right feeding strategy and proper rumen development, calves can maintain excellent growth throughout the weaning period.
Practical research at Denkavit’s calf research facility demonstrated that calves can achieve more than 1,400 grams of daily weight gain during the week after weaning. These results show that a carefully managed nutritional program helps calves transition smoothly without experiencing a growth check.
The calves achieved consistent growth throughout the entire rearing period.
Overall, the calves achieved an average daily gain of 1,167 g/day during the first 12 weeks of life.
These figures demonstrate that weaning does not have to result in slower growth when calves receive the right nutritional support before, during and after the transition.
A growth check often occurs because calves are not yet consuming enough solid feed to replace the nutrients previously supplied by milk. If rumen development is insufficient, nutrient intake temporarily declines, reducing daily weight gain.
A successful weaning program prepares calves well before milk feeding is reduced by stimulating rumen development and encouraging concentrate intake from an early age.
Healthy rumen development is the foundation of successful calf rearing. Although milk is the primary nutrient source during the first weeks of life, calves gradually need to digest nutrients from starter feed and roughage.
Offering high-quality calf starter from the first week of life, providing unlimited access to fresh drinking water and supplying good-quality chopped straw all contribute to optimal rumen development. As the rumen matures, calves become capable of efficiently utilizing solid feed while maintaining high growth rates.
The excellent growth achieved in the trial was supported by a balanced nutritional program consisting of:
Together, these components provided calves with sufficient digestible energy and protein throughout the transition from milk to solid feed.
To maintain calf growth after weaning, dairy farmers should focus on several key management practices:
These practices help calves replace nutrients from milk with nutrients from solid feed while maintaining steady growth.
Many farmers expect calves to grow more slowly immediately after weaning. Research demonstrates that this is not inevitable.
When calves receive the right combination of milk replacer, calf starter, roughage and careful weaning management, they can continue growing at exceptional rates—even during one of the most challenging periods of their development.
Maintaining high growth after weaning supports healthier calves, more efficient rearing and improved lifetime performance in the dairy herd.
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