Cold Weather Calf Care: Strategies to Keep Young Calves Thriving

With a very chilly 10-day forecast looming for most of us in the Upper Midwest, below is a reminder of strategies to help young calves thrive during the cold snap. 

Nutritional Management Strategies: Routine, Routine, Routine 

Consistency is key. 

• Provide more nutrition to meet the calf's increased energy needs in cold weather. 

• Feed more milk at a consistent solids rate. Consider increasing the daily milk volume by adding a third feeding or increasing each feeding by 0.5–1.0 quart of milk replacer solution. 

• Feeding more milk is the most efficient way to increase the calf’s available energy and calories. 

• Use Milk Energizer (a 60% fat product) during the first 2–3 weeks of life. Adding it to the milk ration helps meet the elevated energy requirements during cold weather.  

  • Rule of thumb: 1 oz of Milk Energizer provides about 10°F of added warmth for the calf. 

Environmental Management Strategies: Clean & Dry, Clean & Dry, Clean & Dry 

• Dry newborn calves with a clean towel after birth and fluff their hair coat to aid thermoregulation. 

• Use calf jackets. Once dry, put a calf jacket on. In extreme cold, consider two jackets, especially for small, lethargic, or unthrifty calves.  

  • Rule of thumb: A calf jacket provides 20°F of added warmth. 
  • Keep jackets on calves for at least the first 3 weeks of life, longer if necessary. Calves less than 21 days old have very high maintenance energy requirements- we want to give them the best start we can. 
  • Only remove jackets when calves are eating ample calf starter and the weather is mild. Removing jackets during a cold snap can cause unnecessary stress. 

• Provide ample, clean straw bedding. There should be enough bedding that when the calf is lying down, you cannot see her legs. 

• Ensure access to clean, fresh calf starter and water at all times.  

  • Calves can handle the cold when they consume enough calf starter. 
  • Remember: It takes 4 lbs of fresh water to digest and metabolize 1 lb of dry matter. Water consumption drives calf starter intake, and vice versa. 

• Keep pens/hutches clean. 

  • Maintain and sanitize milk feeding equipment properly.  
  • Clean and sanitize all milk feeding equipment after each use.