When selecting a liquid feeding program for growing calves, there are benefits and drawbacks to consider, including nutrient intake targets for growth goals, program management, economics and potential disease risks.

Water – which makes up 86 percent of a newborn calf’s bodyweight – is the most important nutrient for dairy calves, but it is often overlooked.

Do you feel prepared to raise calves during the winter season? The lower critical temperature of a young dairy calf is 50ºF, which means that the calf’s energy requirement begins to increase in order to maintain core body temperature in conditions below 50ºF.

Often overlooked, water is the most important nutrient for dairy calves. It is required for all of life’s processes including the transport, digestion and metabolism of nutrients, the elimination of waste materials and excess heat from the body, and the maintenance of a proper fluid-ion balance in the body.