The best time for calves to feed forage is to lay a good foundation for weight gain.

Calf

Calves are fed too early or too late, which is harmful to their growth, development and health. Practice has proved that it is most suitable for calves to be fed with forage for 21 days. Calves within 21 days, the forestomach (rumen, reticulum, valvular stomach) are very small, do not have the ability to digest forage, and there are no microorganisms and ciliates, so they can only feed milk into the true stomach for absorption and utilization. Feeding forage at this time will increase the burden on the forestomach of calves and cause disease. If the fodder is fed too late, the gastrointestinal tract can not get exercise, the growth and development of the forestomach is slow, and the volume is too small, it will also affect the growth, development and health.

After 21 days, the forestomach of the calf increased rapidly, and the microbes entered the forestomach along with the mouth due to exposure to a small amount of food and drinking water. At this time, fresh and tender grass, wild vegetables, high-quality dried grass, crushed concentrate and so on were fed, and the amount of feed and roughage increased with the increase of age, which could not only avoid causing disease, but also accelerate the development of forestomach. Promote the reproduction of rumen microorganisms and ciliates, and gradually strengthen their function of digesting forage and feed, which lays a good foundation for cattle to eat a lot of roughage, grow up and gain more weight.