ÿþ<head> <title>Increase Calf Energy Intake During Cold Weather</title> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <center> <table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0> <tr> <td width=96 align=left valign=top> <a href="product.html"><img src="gif/tb1prod.gif" alt="Product Info" width="96" height="23" border="0"></a><br> </td> <td width=101 align=left valign=top> <a href="newprod.html"><img src="gif/tb1newprod.gif" alt="New Products" width="101" height="23" border="0"></a><br> </td> <td width=95 align=left valign=top> <a href="tech.html"><img src="gif/tb1tech.gif" alt="Tech Library" width="95" height="23" border="0"></a><br> </td> <TD WIDTH=91 ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> <a href="bio.html"><IMG SRC="gif/tb1bio.gif" ALT="Biological Safety" WIDTH="91" HEIGHT="23" BORDER="0"></A><BR> </TD> <td width=43 align="left" valign="top"><a href="IndustryLinks.htm"><img src="gif/tb1links.gif" alt="Industry Links" width="43" height="23" border="0"></a></td> <TD WIDTH=72 ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> <a href="company.html"><IMG SRC="gif/tb1about.gif" ALT="About Us" WIDTH="72" HEIGHT="23" BORDER="0"></A><BR> </TD> <td width=77 align=left valign=top> <a href="merricks_contactus.htm"><IMG SRC="gif/tb1contact.gif" ALT="Contact Us" WIDTH="77" HEIGHT="23" BORDER="0"></A><br> </td> </tr> </table> </center> <center><a href="index.html"><img src="gif/techbanner.gif" alt="Merrick's : The performance leader in baby animal nutrition" width="480" height="135" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0"></a> </center> <br> <center> <table width=480 border="0"> <tr> <td align="center"><p> <font style="font: 16px arial, helv, helvetica" color="#003399"> <b>Increase Calf Energy Intake During Cold Weather</b></font> <br /><br /><br /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><a name="introduction"></a> <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Many calves are lost during winter months due to cold stress and insufficient energy intake. Stressed calves are more susceptible to disease and have higher mortality rates than calves receiving adequate energy. A thin hair coat, a small layer of subcutaneous fat and a relatively large surface area to weight ratio make young calves much more vulnerable to harmful effects of low ambient temperatures than older calves. <br><br> Calves raised in cold or outdoor facilities are most vulnerable to cold stress. Maintaining weight gain is always a concern with calves raised outside during the winter. These calves need additional energy to help maintain performance in cold weather. <br><br> A calf's performance and survivability in cold weather depend on its ability to keep a constant or nearly constant core body temperature. The <b>Thermoneutral Zone</b>, or TNZ of an animal is the range of ambient temperatures in which the heat produced by the animal at rest equals the heat lost. The TNZ of the calf is generally between 50°and 70°F, although it varies with age, nutrition, wind and humidity. The calf can easily maintain a balance between heat production and loss with air temperatures within the TNZ. <br><br> <center> <img src="gif/tech_calfenergy.gif" width="450" height="221" border="0" alt=""> </center> <br><br> An ambient temperature of about 50°F is referred to as the lower critical temperature for baby calves. Temperatures below 50°F require the calf to burn additional energy to produce heat to maintain body temperature. As ambient temperature decreases below the lower critical temperature, the calf will use its own fat stores if energy is not supplied in the diet. <br><br> Since young calves store very little fat, they can quickly become severely stressed at low ambient temperatures if adequate energy is not provided. When the calf's heat loss is greater than its heat production, the calf's body temperature drops, resulting in hypothermia. Performance of these calves can be strongly affected. Stressed calves show signs of depression, weakness, shivering and poor appetite, with severe situations resulting in death. Sufficient energy must be provided in the diet to prevent the breakdown of body tissue and cold stress in calves. <br><br> </font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"> <font style="font: 16px arial, helv, helvetica" color="#003399"><b>Increase Energy During Cold Stress</b></font><br /><br /> <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">The colder it gets, the more energy the calf needs just to stay warm. In general terms, a calf's need for energy increases 1% for every degree Fahrenheit the temperature drops below 50°F. In other words, the calf requires another 200 kcal/day for every 10 degree temperature drop. <br><br> <i>How do you increase a calf's energy intake?</i> From a practical standpoint, there are basically three options. One is to increase the amount of milk replacer the calf receives. The second is to add high energy fortifier such as Merrick's Super Calf-Kit to milk replacer. The third is to feed a high energy milk replacer like Merrick's Winter Star during the cold season. Using the energy provided by a 20-20 all milk protein milk replacer as the starting point, we can easily evaluate the additional energy provided by each method. </font> <br><br> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="450"> <tr> <td><font style="font: 16px arial, helv, helvetica" color="#003399"><b>Energy provided in milk replacer. </b></font><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Fats, carbohydrates and proteins are the energy sources for milk replacers. Although the actual energy calculation is rather complex, we can still make a reasonable estimate of the daily energy intake of a calf consuming only a 20-20 all-milk protein milk replacer. The amount of energy provided by 1 lb or milk replacer powder per day is:</font> <br><br> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width=400> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">454 grams x .20 percent protein x 4 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">363 kilocalories</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">454 grams x .20 percent fat x 9 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">817 kilocalories</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">454 grams x .50 percent carbohydrate x 4 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"><u>908 kilocalories</u></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"></font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"><b><i>2088 kilocalories</i></b></font></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </center> <br><br> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width=450> <tr> <td><font style="font: 16px arial, helv, helvetica" color="#003399"><b>Increase milk replacer feeding level to 1 1/4 lb/day. </b></font><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">This approach to increasing energy during cold weather involves feeding more of a 20/20 milk replacer. This method is convenient, but due to the cost of protein in not the most economical solution. In this scenario, additional energy is provided by increasing the daily amount of milk replacer powder from 1 lb to 1 1/4 lb.</font> <br><br> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width=400> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">568 grams x .20 percent protein x 4 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">454 kilocalories</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">568 grams x .20 percent fat x 9 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">1020 kilocalories</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">568 grams x .50 percent carbohydrate x 4 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"><u>1135 kilocalories</u></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"></font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"><b><i>2609 kilocalories</i></b></font></td> </tr> </table> </center> <br><br> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width=450> <tr> <td><font style="font: 16px arial, helv, helvetica" color="#003399"><b>Increase the energy content of milk replacer. </b></font><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">Adding Super Calf-Kit to a 20-20 all milk protein milk replacer is like feeding 1½ lb of a 28% fat milk replacer. Winter Star is a complete milk replacer that provides the same high energy as a Merrick's 20-20 milk replacer fortified with Super Calf-Kit. In both situations the calf receives 1 1/4 lb each day, as well as the highest energy level.</font> <br><br> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width=400> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">568 grams x .17 percent protein x 4 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">390 kilocalories</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">568 grams x .28 percent fat x 9 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">1430 kilocalories</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2">568 grams x .45 percent carbohydrate x 4 = </font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"><u>1020 kilocalories</u></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"></font></td> <td><font face="Times New Roman" size="2"><b><i>2840 kilocalories</i></b></font></td> </tr> </table> </center> <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> </center> </td> </tr> </table> <table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0> <tr> <td> <font face="Times New Roman" size="2">When choosing the best high energy feeding option for your situation, be sure to consider your calves' energy needs, the convenience of the program, how well farm labor can consistently deliver the program, and cost (per kilocalorie). <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> <center><I>All product names registered or trademarked by Merrick's, Inc.</I></center> <center> <br><IMG SRC="gif/blueline1.gif" ALT="Blue Line" WIDTH="610" HEIGHT="2" BORDER="0"><br> <IMG SRC="gif/transpace.gif" ALT="Blank Space" WIDTH="2" HEIGHT="6" BORDER="0"><BR> <FONT SIZE=2><CENTER><B><A HREF="product.html">Product Info</A> | <A HREF="newprod.html">New Products</a> | <a href="tech.html">Tech Library</a> | <A HREF="bio.html">Biological Safety</a> | <A HREF="IndustryLinks.htm">Industry Links</a> | <A HREF="company.html">About Us</a> | <A HREF="info.html">Contact Us</A><BR> <img src="gif/transpace.gif" alt="Blank Space" WIDTH="2" height="6" border="0"><br> <img src="gif/blueline1.gif" alt="Blue Line" WIDTH="610" height="2" border="0"><br><br> </center></b></font> <p> <p><center><font color="#00085A" SIZE="5"><b>MERRICK'S, INC.</b></font><br> <font color="#00085A"><i>A Subsidiary of Merrick Animal Nutrition, Inc.</i></font> <br>2415 Parview Road * P.O. Box 620307 * Middleton, WI 53562-0307 USA <br>1-608-831-3440 * 1-800-MER-RICK (637-7425) <br>FAX: 1-608-836-8943<br>Email us at: <a href="mailto:mersales@merricks.com">mersales@merricks.com</a> </center> </body> </html>