The importance of super starter in the feeding of suckling calves
Suckling calves fed with whole milk or milk substitutes need supplementary feeding with solid feed, which is called a starter. The animal’s tendency to eat the starter while consuming liquid food is a natural behavior, and starter intake does not considerably increase until the rumen is underdeveloped. The calf’s digestive system is incomplete at birth and functions exactly the same as that of a monogastric animal. For a calf to transform from a monogastric animal into a ruminant, it should start feeding with dry food as soon as possible, particularly with fast-fermenting carbohydrates.
The quality and palatability of the starter are essential in the stimulation of calves to more consumption. Therefore, the starter must be easily digestible and contain sufficient amounts of energy and nutrients required for the growth of the animal. In the Arya Mah Roshd Company, therefore, the produced starter is formulated by experienced animal nutritionists based on the latest scientific findings.
Benefits of using the super starter from Arya Mahroshd Company
- Improvements in the growth performance, appetite, and feed consumption of suckling calves
- An appropriate physical (nut) shape and stimulation of calves for more consumption
- Physical and metabolic ruminal development and reduction of weaning age in calves
- Reduction of dust, more palatability, and improvement of digestibility due to using the steam flaking grain method and pelletizing the rest ingredients of the starter
- Reduction of digestive diseases by improving the health and strengthening the immune system of calves
- Reduction of feed cost through improving feed efficiency
- Reduction of diarrhea, respiratory problems, and mortality in calves
- Provision of the necessary substrate for the activity of microorganisms and stimulation of ruminal movements
- Accelerated stabilization of the population of microorganisms and the growth of rumen villi
- Better health and growth of replacement heifers
| Ingredient | unit | amount |
| ME | (Kcsl/kg) | 3000 |
| CP | % | 20 |
| EE | % | 4 |
| NDF | % | 13.5 |
| ADF | % | 6.4 |
| Ca | % | 0.56 |
| P | % | 0.4 |
| Na | % | 0.47 |
| Mg | % | 0.22 |
| Fe | mg/kg | 125 |
| Mn | mg/kg | 97 |
| Zn | mg/kg | 133 |
| Cu | mg/kg | 35 |
| Co | mg/kg | 0.44 |
| I | mg/kg | 0.75 |
| Se | mg/kg | 0.68 |
| Vit A | (IU/kg) | 11000 |
| Vit D3 | (IU/kg) | 2600 |
| Vit E | (IU/kg) | 100 |
Dosage:
- The nut starter should be fed to calves from the fourth day until the time of weaning.
- It is necessary to use the starter freshly every day.
- Healthy, clean, and lukewarm water should be freely available to calves because enough water consumption will stimulate the use of a starter.
- Calves can be prepared for weaning when they consume 1 kg of the starter for 3 consecutive days.