Effects of milk feeding volume and frequency on body weight and health of dairy heifer calves

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of feeding volume and frequency of feeding on the body weight (BW) of dairy heifer calves, with access to pasture, during the preweaning and postweaning periods, as well as their health status during the preweaning period. Ninety-six dairy heifer calves were offered milk at a rate of (i) 10% of birth BW, once daily from three weeks of age (10% OD) (ii) 15% of birth BW, once daily from three weeks of age (15% OD) and (iii) 15% of birth BW in two equal feeds daily (15% TD) from birth until weaning. Calf BW was recorded at 5, 7, 9, 11, 21, 25 and 30 weeks of age. The number of days taken for each calf to reach a target weaning weight was recorded, as were all episodes of disease. At 5 weeks of age, calves on the 10% OD treatment were lighter (46.7 kg) than calves on the 15% OD treatment (50.6 kg) and 15% TD treatment (50.0 kg). At 11 weeks of age, calves on the 10% OD treatment were still lighter (75.2 kg; P<0.05) than calves on the 15% TD treatment (78.6 kg) and tended (P=0.08) to be lighter than calves on the 15% OD treatment (80.1 kg). Calves fed 15% of BW tended (P=0.1) to reach a target weaning weight 4 days earlier than the calves fed 10% of BW. Experimental treatment had no effect on the probability of a calf experiencing a disease a greater number of times. There was no effect of experimental treatment on BW measured postweaning.