Digestive challenges in calves
Every dairy operation has had an experience with digestive challenges in calves at some point. This is, unfortunately, a common challenge on farms. The results of these challenges are calves that have impaired and inefficient growth. The initial cost for a calf with digestive challenges can go as high as $100 per calf. In addition, other costs must also be considered, including extra rearing costs, weight loss, and extra labor. Due to this growth delay of the calves, insemination at a later age becomes a direct cause for increased rearing cost. In addition, this heifer will produce less in the first lactation compared to a healthy calf that encountered no digestive challenges.
Causes of digestive challenges
The cause for digestive challenges varies from farm to farm, but it is often a combination of factors from different origins. One cause includes Pathogenic Bacteria. Digestive challenges caused by bacteria will result in a damaged intestinal wall. As a result, the intestinal surface area decreases, drastically reducing the ability to absorb nutrients resulting in reduced growth rates. This challenge concerning the intestines is illustrated in figure 1.

Figure 1: Intestinal wall lining(1).
Normal gut village(2), responsible for surface area enlargement are irreparably destroyed or made impenetrable due to scarring by unfavourable bacteria(3).
Measures for a proactive approach
Several factors play a key role in taking a proactive approach for digestive challenges in calves.
Hygiene and housing
It is important to ensure that calves are born in a clean environment. After calving, calves can come into direct contact with bacteria from the environment, which can cause digestive challenges. If calves ingest these bacteria, they end up in the intestines and can cause challenges. A proper environment after birth means that the calf is placed in a clean, dry pen with a sufficiently thick layer of bedding. This bedding ensures that the calf can create its own microclimate that safeguards it from environmental influence.
The importance of colostrum
Ideally, calves will ingest 200 grams of immunoglobulins (antibodies) within 6 hours of birth. Therefore, each quart of colostrum should contain 50 grams of immunoglobulins which allows for a calf to reach the 200 gram value with 4 quarts of colostrum intake. For this to happen, a Brix-value of the colostrum, which can be measured using a refractometer, must be at least 23. The calf must ingest this amount within 6 hours after birth to allow for absorption of antibodies through the intestinal wall. Shortly after birth, the absorption capacity is 100 percent, but, after 6 hours, the absorption capacity has already halved. The first obtained immunity of the calf is via the colostrum. If the calf does not receive this immunity, the calf will be more prone to digestive challenges early on. The very first step to tackle digestive challenges is to always provide a good quantity of high-quality colostrum quickly.
Supporting the development of the immune system
In addition to the first colostrum feeding, it is equally important to support calves during the first weeks of life. The first 2 weeks are particularly critical for the calf. The obtained immunity from the colostrum is slowly lost, and calves have to build up and acquire their own immune system. Typically, this acquired immune system takes 2 weeks to become active. In these 2 weeks, calves are especially sensitive to digestive challenges. Just like after birth, excellent hygiene during the rearing period is critical to the calf’s health. To achieve this, pens, farm boots, and overalls, must be cleaned and disinfected while drinking materials should be clean and of high quality.
Providing milk and milk replacer
It is important to work with the correct drinking materials (bottles, buckets, nipples, etc), and to ensure the correct preparation of the milk replacer. If milk replacer is not properly prepared or if damaged or incorrectly attached drinking materials are used, the calf’s esophageal reflex may not work properly. This will cause the milk to end up in the calf’s developing rumen instead of the intended abomasum. Normally, a fold in the stomach, called the esophageal groove, allows for milk to bypass the rumen when the calf drinks. However, when a calf does not have the correct drinking position, the teat is of poor quality, or if the milk is not at the right temperature or has an incorrect composition, this esophageal groove will not work optimally. As a result, milk will flow into the rumen. Once in the rumen, milk cannot be properly digested and will subsequently ferment and rot. This could lead to a calf having to deal with digestive challenges. With regards to teat quality, the quality of drinking teats should be checked to ensure they are not broken, ruptured, cracked or otherwise compromised. Furthermore, they should be place in the right position and at the right height. The correct position of the teats is illustrated in figure 2.

Figure 2: Teat position.
The correct way of positioning the teats, in a ‘+’ shape allows for proper milk flow. An ‘x’ shape hinders or blocks milk flow.
The teat should be in a ‘+’ shape to allow for proper milk flow out of the teat. In contrast, when placed in an ‘x’ shape, milk flow is blocked or hindered. If not properly monitored, it could then appear that a calf is not drinking and is suspected of having underlying health challenges, when, in reality, it’s being underfed. In addition, bad quality teats can lead to air sucking, also impairing the esophageal reflex, once again resulting in milk to end up in the rumen.
Weaning
Weaning is best done gradually to avoid calves from going into a postweaning dip. This dip can impair or completely stop growth. The dip typically occurs from stress and/or changes in feed. To reduce the risk of the feed aspect of this dip, it is essential that we assist calves to develop their rumen. We do this by providing grain prior to weaning to help the rumen be able to process roughage postweaning.
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