What should calves be fed for rapid growth - a description of the best stimulants

Cattle are bred to obtain dairy and meat products for sale. To ensure that these products are of the highest quality possible, feed additives are used when feeding calves. For rapid and complete growth of calves, stimulants are necessary because the usual diet does not provide the development of the animal’s body that is required for profitability of production. Additives increase live weight and improve milk quality.

Pros and cons of using growth stimulants for cattle

A stimulant is a food additive related to veterinary medicines that stimulates the animal’s metabolism and accelerated development of the body. Such drugs used for calves are of synthetic and natural origin. Russian and foreign farmers value natural additives more highly, although synthetic drugs, such as antibiotics, also have their advantages. The combined use of synthetic and natural drugs is acceptable, but it is not often practiced, as it increases the cost of raising cattle.

Advantages of using growth stimulants for calves:

• rapid weight gain by animals;
• increasing livestock productivity, commercial quality of milk and meat;
• strengthening immune defense and resistance to infections;
• rapid recovery of animals after illness;
• normalization of metabolism and digestion in animals, improvement of appetite;
• maintaining the quality of the livestock and its compliance with accepted standards;
• accelerating the introduction of adult feed into the diet of calves;
• safety of the resulting products for the human body.

It is impossible to name any serious disadvantages, but it must be borne in mind that any drug, synthetic or natural, must be used in accordance with the correct dosage so as not to harm the health of calves. This is especially true for antibiotic drugs, which, when used for a long time without observing the dosage, can lead to pathologies of the digestive system and liver, and heart problems.

Calf feed for fast growth

Many farmers begin using feed additives when calves are 20 days old. This early application helps achieve optimal results in a short time.

Calves consuming nutritional supplements are strikingly different from calves fed only cow's milk and hay. The latter look smaller and weaker than their peers, as can be seen by farmers who decide to build a business on naturalness and environmental friendliness, and feed calves only milk and hay. The optimal feed for accelerating the growth of calves is grain concentrate. If you generously feed your pets with milk and such forages, then the daily increase in the weight of a young individual will reach 1 kg.

It is recommended to use industrial feeds for feeding calves that do not contain hormonal and antibiotic additives. These supplements are given separately if needed.

To ensure their rapid and complete growth, the diet of calves must contain vitamin and mineral supplements. Vitamins D and A are especially important for animals. Any food given to calves must contain these and other vitamins in sufficient concentration. Therefore, it is so important to learn how to properly prepare hay so that it retains as much nutrients as possible. Without vitamin A, animals' growth slows down and their bodies become susceptible to infections. And without vitamin D, young animals will develop rickets.

Of the minerals, calves especially need potassium and phosphorus.To avoid mineral deficiency, from the 5th day of life, young animals should receive hay in addition to milk. An excellent natural supplement for replenishing mineral deficiencies in animals is a mixture of bone meal, salt and chalk.

Starter feed

A high-quality starter feed should contain components that ensure rapid growth and an increase in muscle mass. First of all, these are proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Starter feeds are intended for calves from birth to six months. Among the Russian brands, it is worth noting granulated feed from Krasnodar “Venus” and “Vitula”, which are fed to young animals up to 3 months, as well as “Elegance” for animals from 3 to 6 months. The dosage of the first two feeds is increased gradually; by the end of 3 months of the calves’ life, their daily amount should reach 1.6 kg. The daily dose of the third forage preparation is 3.5 kg. After the animals reach six months of age, they are transferred to simple forage with nutritious premixes.

The Krasnodar manufacturer also sells two granular growth stimulants under the CattlePro brand: Littlegoby (0–3 months of life) and BestVil (from 6 months). The second drug is combined with regular forage; this additive replaces 20–30% of the grain base in the diet. All products of the Krasnodar manufacturer contain coccidiostatics in their component composition, which are necessary for the prevention of coccidiosis in calves.

Growth preparations for cattle

Growth stimulants are carefully composed complexes that eliminate hypovitaminosis, restore the balance of nutrients in the body, support the immune system and musculoskeletal system of animals, and help young cattle grow strong, large and healthy.Quality growth supplements are developed by veterinarians who understand the needs of calves of different ages.

Vitamin and mineral complexes

Vitamin and mineral preparations for cattle are presented on the modern market in a wide range, but some complexes are especially in demand among farmers, as they have proven their effectiveness. These drugs are fully absorbed in the body of animals and, in addition to stimulating growth, have a positive effect on immunity and digestion. A number of drugs can be used both as an additive to feed and for intramuscular injections, which are characterized by greater speed and efficiency of action.

We present the most popular vitamin and mineral complexes among cattle breeders.

"Katozal"

This drug stimulates metabolism, reduces the animal’s body’s susceptibility to negative factors, and accelerates growth. If you use it in normal dosage, then irritation, allergic reactions, developmental defects and intoxication are excluded. Plus, the drug does not accumulate in the body of cattle, which means that meat and milk are harmless to humans.

The drug "Katozal" is actively used in feeding not only calves, but also adult cows. It has a tonic effect during the calving process, thereby reducing negative birth consequences and preventing pathologies that appear in adult animals against the background of mineral deficiency.

"Eleovit"

This injection yellow or brownish-yellow solution contains as many as 12 vitamins. As a vitamin preparation, Eleovit is valuable, first of all, for normalizing metabolism. Therefore, it is given to calves with pathologies associated with impaired metabolism.The manufacturer does not call its product a growth stimulant, but it is obvious that the vitamins in the composition have a positive effect on growth processes in the body of calves.

The drug can be used intramuscularly and subcutaneously. Calves are administered 2-3 ml, adult cows - 5-6 ml. Before using the drug, it is important for the veterinarian to adjust the diet for proteins and minerals.

Feed antibiotics

Antibiotics are used not only to maintain the immunity of animals, but also to increase the efficiency of fattening. When they are added to the diet within a month, the weight of calves increases at an acceleration of up to 5%. And if you use antibiotics for 3 months, you can expect an acceleration of growth by 15%. This result persists for about six months, then gradually decreases. In one-year-old calves, the acceleration of weight gain does not exceed 8%.

Veterinarians' opinions on the introduction of antibiotics into food vary. But most experts admit that antibiotics are more effective in feed than in the form of injections.

If intramuscular injections are preferred, they will have to be given to calves 2 times a day. The drugs most often used as supplements for the growth and maintenance of immunity are penicillin and streptomycin. With the correct use of antibiotics, the accelerated growth of young animals will be immediately noticeable, the calves' appetite will increase, and hay can be introduced into the diet from 5 months.

"Biomycin"

The antibiotic in powder form of a pale brown color is sold for introduction into the diet of animals under the name “Biofeed-1”. The concentration of the active ingredient in 1 g of the drug is 1000 units. The antibiotic also contains the B-group of vitamins. Therefore, this drug is recognized as a growth stimulator.

"Chlortetracycline"

This antibiotic is sold under the name Biokorm-4. It also comes in powder form and is colored a rich brown. 1 g of the drug contains 30,000 units of the active antibiotic component. The antibiotic also contains vitamin B₁₂.

"Oxytetracycline"

The broad-spectrum antibiotic is sold in powder form under a different name, “Terramycin native,” which is grown on crushed grain mass. The drug has a pale brown color and an intense moldy odor. 1 g of the drug contains 3000–4000 units of the active substance. In addition to the antibiotic, the drug contains significant quantities of proteins, fats, and B-group vitamins, which makes Oxytetracycline a wonderful growth stimulant.

Hormonal stimulants

Farmers and buyers of meat and dairy products are wary of hormonal drugs used in animal husbandry. Hormonal stimulants force the body of calves to synthesize the hormone myostatin, which suppresses the development and differentiation of muscle tissue. As a result, the size and power of the muscles correspond to the load-bearing capabilities of the skeleton. Hormonal stimulants for cattle are sold as additives to feed or in injection form.

The hormonal drugs used to stimulate the growth of calves do not affect the human body after eating meat and milk. It is recommended to purchase such stimulants in a specialized and reputable store, where the products are necessarily certified. In this case, the risk that meat and dairy products will be rejected by veterinary control is reduced.

But even if the hormonal supplement is of high quality and safe, its use should be stopped 2-3 weeks before slaughtering.This period applies to synthetic hormonal drugs. If the stimulant is of natural origin, then its use should be interrupted 2-3 days before slaughtering.

The sale of meat and dairy products is prohibited by law if the farmer does not have documents issued by veterinary control. In this case, the products are written off, and if the farmer managed to sell something, he will receive a fine.

"Nucleopeptide"

One of the most popular hormonal stimulants for muscle development in cattle is produced from cow spleen. It looks like a yellow or brownish-yellow liquid with a cloudy suspension, which precipitates during long-term storage. If you shake the container, the mud will rise from the bottom, and the substance itself will foam. The hormonal drug is sold in bottles with a capacity of 5, 10 and 100 ml. After opening the container, the drug should be stored for no longer than 24 hours.

When using the Nucleopeptide stimulant, calves should be given feed with a high concentration of proteins.

A single injection of “Nucleopeptide” for calves is 0.1 or 0.2 ml per 1 kg of live weight. If it is necessary to stimulate the immunity of calves, the drug is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously into the animals’ bodies. The course of injections lasts 3 days, the procedure is carried out once a day. But if “Nucleopeptide” is used to accelerate the growth of calves that have switched to fattening, then subcutaneous injections are given 4 times with an interval of 15 days. You cannot inject more than 30 ml of stimulant into the same point on the body at a time.

Mechanism of action

The drug is based on androgenic and thyroid hormones, which act as secretory stimulants. But, according to the manufacturer, they are contained in the drug in a concentration that does not exceed the physiological needs of cattle.“Nucleopeptide” can be used in conjunction with antibiotics and vitamin-mineral stimulants.

The hormones included in the composition have a variety of effects on the body of calves:

• stimulate growth processes and general development of the body;
• accelerate muscle growth, promote an increase in muscle weight by 10-25%;
• stimulate the production of growth hormone;
• act as anabolics;
• make calves’ bodies more resistant to infections;
• make fattening calves more efficient, that is, improve feed conversion.

"Gamavit"

The drug in liquid form is a combination of sodium nucleinate and emulsified denatured placenta. The active components of the hormonal supplement optimize metabolism, normalize blood composition in calves, and have an immunostimulating and general tonic effect on the body. The stimulant increases the adaptability of the body of young animals and vitality, reduces the likelihood of death of calves in the initial period of life, and also increases the functionality of the muscular system, making the animal’s body more resistant to stress factors and physical activity. This is an excellent supplier of metabolic components to the calves that accelerate growth.

The drug is used for the prevention of pathologies in calves and cows, and for postoperative recovery of animals, and in preparing cattle for exhibitions, and for the treatment of the following diseases:

• anemia;
• intoxication of the body;
• hypovitaminosis;
• infectious and parasitic lesions;
• pyometra;
• toxicosis during pregnancy.

Rules for the use of cattle growth accelerators

All of the above growth stimulants are applicable for any type of farm animal, only the dosage and application regimens change.Since there are a huge number of cattle growth stimulants on the market, there is no general scheme for using the drugs. Each stimulant has detailed instructions for use on the packaging, and these must be followed. You cannot buy the drug without instructions; it is most likely of poor quality and made in a homemade way.

Stimulants are not required in the first few months of calves' lives. They will be needed later, when the calves begin to fatten. Before this, the young animals are given high-quality starter feed, combined with milk and hay.

The main rule for using growth stimulants is to generously feed calves with concentrates high in protein. Otherwise there will be no effect. You can give calves the highest quality and most expensive stimulants, but if the diet includes an insufficient amount of proteins, then the animal’s body simply will have nowhere to get material for the construction of new muscle tissue.

Veterinarians' opinion

You should not think that growth stimulants are a 100% guarantee of obtaining the desired weight gain in calves. Many factors influence the growth and development of animals, which is why the farmer may not achieve the result he expected. These are the factors:

• genetic characteristics - calves of dairy breeds do not gain weight as quickly and actively as individuals of meat breeds;
• diet - no matter what high-quality food additives are, if you save on feeding calves, give them cheap basic food, and even in an amount insufficient for full development, then there is no need to talk about high productivity in raising cattle;
• vitamin deficiency and mineral deficiency - with these pathological changes, the growth of animals is certainly inhibited and even stops;
• growing conditions - in unfavorable conditions, calves grow more slowly due to stress;
• helminths - before using food additives, animals need to undergo preventive deworming, otherwise the parasites will draw out all the nutrients entering the body.

Using growth stimulants by injection is more convenient and effective, but also more dangerous. If the drugs are given to calves orally, then the excess is eliminated from the body naturally through the digestive tract. But when administered by injection, all the extra components of the drug remain in the body. You also need to be careful with hormonal stimulants. If you overdo it, instead of actively gaining weight, calves will experience hormonal imbalance.

Conclusion

From the above, we can draw a general conclusion that it is, of course, necessary to use growth stimulants for cattle, but within a certain time frame and in compliance with the dosages established by the manufacturer. When using stimulants, calves need to be fed high-quality feed containing high concentrations of proteins. Calves absolutely need vitamins and minerals, but it is advisable to use hormonal drugs and antibiotics only if the condition of the animal’s body requires it.

Reviews of growth stimulants for cattle

Victor, 48 years old, Dyatkovo, Bryansk region

When I started the business, I couldn’t even think that the calves would have to be fed additionally in the first months of their lives. I tried hormonal ones. He started injecting nucleopeptide. I didn't see any changes for the better at all. Then I found out that in order for the hormonal hormones to take effect, calves must eat proteins, like athletes or jocks. And protein foods are expensive.In short, my business turned out to be not so problem-free. Now I’m thinking about what to do with the food for the bulls.

Anton, 38 years old, Pechory, Pskov region

When I bought calves, I had to take very recently born ones. Because the older ones sort it out, there’s less fuss with them. I tried Eleovit and other stimulants. I did not notice any special changes in the development of the animals. Although I paid a lot of money for the bottles, and they praised all the drugs to me, that they were almost miracle cures. In short, through trial and error I realized that you need to feed small calves with milk and crushed grain, and then everything will be fine. There is no need to switch babies to a substitute, otherwise their digestion will be disrupted and they will become weaker.