california cowgirl
Exploring the pasture
I have really started to learn how a baby calf digestive system really works. Google baby calf digestive system esophageal groove. Baby calves are born with a premature digestive system and only one stomach working. It is very sensitive to feeds. The esophageal groove is what shuttles the milk or milk replacer past the Rumen and Omasum into the Abomasum for digestion. That is WHY all milk proteins are best at this time. Water can not go into the Rumen until about 10 minutes after they have sucked their milk. The water is what starts the first good bacteria into the rumen to start to wake this part of their digestive system up. The other is Calf starter NOT hay. Hay is good after weaning. It takes time and proper feeds to get their rumen working with the other stomachs to allow them to be able to digest plant based feeds. That is why the SOY is so deadly in the early weeks and months because it bloats and kills them or damages their gut wall. Later on it is okay once they get their system up and running properly. A calf's rumen is not fully functioning till they are weaned and you can do this early if they get the proper feed and TLC to do that. Naturally it takes months and that is why weaning is so stressful on a calf they go from partial milk diet and solids to full solids and it takes a major adjustment. www.calfnotes.com talks about getting the rumen working and the proper feeds to do that and the stress of weaning they have articles on this. Plus the google baby calf digestive system esophageal groove and learn how delicate and proper handling of their system at this time also gives tips on how to feed them milk and when to start feeds like calf starter. This ties into the whole SOY ALTERNATIVE proteins in baby calf milk replacers. Gives an idea why is does not work and is harmful at this stage. About 3 weeks into life their rumen starts to wake up and water with good bacteria and calf starter slowly added to their all milk protein diet is what is needed to get this part of their stomach working. It takes time and patience. Can not just dump a bunch of soy into the Abomasum and small intestine and lower bowel and expect their digestive enzymes to be able to digest this stuff and it also messes with the all milk proteins in the milk replacer and does not allow them to digest that. It is a delicate balance. I am so glad I have learned all this stuff I guess it is time we all learn what the dairy people know about raising calves. I hope this helps others as well as it has helped me. Very interesting reads.
