Young Animal Nutrition
When it comes to nurturing healthy calves, we say the same thing you do – bring it on.
As a dairy farmer, you welcome hard work more than most. And with so much on your plate, it’s easy to focus only on the cows that are profitable today.
At Purina, we help you find opportunities with your calves and heifers as well. Combining over a century of experience with a highly palatable suite of milk replacers, textured and pelleted calf starters and heifer growers, we lead the industry in fostering early maturity. We invest heavily in young animal nutrition, so you can count on us to set your farm up for long-term success.
Calf + Heifer Solutions
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Milk Replacer
A highly palatable suite of milk replacers with all the options. No matter your set up and goals, we have a milk replacer for you.
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Calf Starter
To double birth weight in a shorter timeframe, choose Purina. Together, we’ll achieve results worth getting excited about.
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Heifer Grower
We lead the industry in fostering early maturity. We invest heavily in young animal nutrition and can help you prepare for strong 1st lactations.
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Purina’s Calf + Heifer Team
Just like our customers, we want to achieve the best results. We believe that takes an experienced team.
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Immutek
Equip your calves to take on any health challenge they may face!
Purina’s ImmuTek calf program provides essential nutrition, backed by research driven technologies, to improve the immunity of young animals. The result: calves that are better able to respond to potential health challenges.
Youngstock Signals
Purina is a Certified Cow Signals® Company and leader in animal comfort and welfare. Youngstock Signals is the young animal extension, evaluating and improving the overall welfare of our younger herd members.
Through this partnership:
- Purina has more than 40 officially trained Youngstock Signals Advisors and Master Trainers.
- Our team offers private and group Youngstock Signals workshops to improve young animal welfare.
- We have a shared mission to improve maturity at breeding age using the 6 freedoms of Youngstock.
Blocks and Minerals
An essential aspect to every diet – in a variety of feeding methods
Whether you are mixing mineral into TMR’s, offering free-choice, or leaving blocks out on pasture, Purina has a mineral to support your goals.
Grow with us
We could argue that certain phases are more critical for calf development than others. Yet, at the end of the day, its all important when your future is on the line. At Purina, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves, and can help at each growth stage.
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NEWBORN (Day 0 – 3)
Feed 10% of calf bodyweight at first feeding (within 2 hours of birth), in general this translates to 4 litres of colostrum for large breed calves (Holstein) or 3 litres for small breed calves (Jersey) – Measure colostrum quality with a Brix Refractometer, colostrum with a reading >24% should only be used in the first 24 hours – Feed another 2+ litres of colostrum 12 hours later – Dip navel with a 7% iodine solution – Continue to feed colostrum / transition milk for 3 days
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PRE-WEANING (0- 2 Months)
Feed pasteurized whole milk or Purina’s milk replacer at a minimum of 6+ litres/day, up to 50% more milk may be required during periods of cold stress – Offer free-choice calf starter beginning at 3 days of age – Offer free-choice warm water beginning at 3 days of age – Up to 5% chopped grassy or straw should be mixed with pelleted calf starter, chopped forage is not necessary with textured starters – Consider the use of calf jackets during periods of cold stress, especially for calves <1 month of age – Dehorn following on-farm ProAction SOPs – Measure calves to ensure they are doubling birthweight by 8 weeks of age
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POST-WEANING GROWER Stage (2 -6 Months)
Maximize gains by reducing stressors – Continue to offer starter for 1 – 2 weeks after making pen or grouping changes – Gradually transition to a grower diet that is best suited for your operation – Only dry forage should be offered to calves in the post-weaning period to maximize intakes and therefore maximize gains – We offer many nutritional solutions…
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HEIFER DEVELOPER STAGE (6+ Months)
Transition to fermented forages along with on-farm grains if needed and a Purina Heifer Supplement or Heifer Mineral – it continues to be critical to provide balanced rations to optimize growth and control BCS – Measure around 12 months of age to ensure heifers are meeting growth (weight & height) targets
Recent Articles
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Calves and Water
Environment to ensure a successful transition period. Providing an optimal stress-free calving area will pay back tenfold.
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Know the six signals youngstock
Successful calf and heifer raising can be measured in a few ways. Ultimately, the investment put into replacement animals results in a reduced age at first calving (optimum target of 22 to 24 months), leading to lower costs as fewer heifers are raised and higher returns due to greater lifetime profitability.
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Use key benchmarks to find opportunities in raising replacement heifers
A heifer’s life can be divided into four main periods: newborn and colostrum: pre-weaning; post weaning; and growing, puberty and pregnancy
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Feed bioactive metabolites to support growth, immunity and better calf performance
Raising replacement animals is a key segment of many dairy operations. Not only does it represent a significant cost, but it also demands an important investment in time and dedication to raise highly performing heifers.
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Learn more about our members.
Purina Leader’s Council members represent all segments of Ontario’s diverse dairy industry, and the annual meetings provide members an opportunity to share and compare different perspectives with other leading dairy producers.
Find More Dairy Solutions
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Young Animal Nutrition
It’s only a matter of time before today’s calves and heifers become the most profitable part of your farm.
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Lactating Success
You’re always looking for ways to increase your profitability, and so are we. Let’s put a world of experience and innovation on your side.
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Beyond Nutrition
You have an unending dedication to making the most of every day. To seeing greater results. To doing the very best job you possibly can. We have the tools to get you there.
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Reach out to our calf + heifer team
Optimize your calf program with Purina products and advice from our Calf and Heifer Team. The team is ready with additional information on specific products, management tips and can even conduct a calf audit on your farm. Fill out our quick form to connect.