Nutrition Advances Boosting Calf Health

For humans, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. For livestock, where it’s a bit more complicated, dairy farmers are getting great results from a nutrition-led approach to herd health.

New Zealand’s grass-fed dairy farming provides strong animal welfare and health benefits but also presents challenges, particularly with extreme weather. Advances in nutrition are helping farmers proactively manage these issues, with products like Reliance Level Up making a significant impact.

Health Challenges

Reliance Level Up, developed by Farmlands, is a whole-milk supplement improving calf health and vitality. Sophie Greig, who manages calf rearing for a 2,500-cow dairy farm near Foxton, has seen major benefits since introducing it. “We’ve noticed improved appetite, better stress resilience, and a huge decrease in sickness,” she says. Calves now endure bad weather without developing scours, and electrolyte use has significantly dropped. “Before, every bug would spread rapidly. Now, we only get a handful of sick calves, and most bounce back with just one tube of Reliance Blue Boost.” Weight gains have also improved, with calves reaching 800g–1kg per day before weaning.

Proactive System

The Greigs have made key changes to their calf rearing system, including:

Increased milk feeding with Level Up – Calves drink more for energy reserves in cold weather.
Covers on early – Providing protection from the elements.
Blue Boost for unwell calves – Rapid recovery support.
Dedicated calf rearing team – Focused solely on calf health.
User-friendly system – Efficient feeding setup for 500 calves in 1.5 hours.

By addressing factors like colostrum, bedding, nutrition, and hygiene, the farm maintains a robust, preventative approach. “A calf’s health is like a wheel—remove one spoke, and it wobbles; remove more, and it collapses,” says Sophie.

Rapid Improvement

Farmlands Technical Specialist Karen Fraser has seen significant results on farms using Level Up. “Sophie’s farm reared 700 calves last season and barely used one 3kg bucket of Blue Boost—a huge improvement in a tough weather year.” Another new product, Reliance Kiwi Power Whey, has also proven highly effective. Sophie reports seamless milk transitions and exceptional calf condition.

Other farmers are experiencing similar success. “One shareholder dismissed electrolytes as a waste of time but completely changed his mind after using Blue Boost,” says Karen.

Lifelong Benefits

Illness in young calves can reduce lifetime productivity, making early nutrition crucial. “Calves that experience illness early on often produce less milk or meat,” Karen explains. Proper nutrition in the first few weeks and during the first summer sets animals up for long-term health and profitability while reducing vet costs. She warns against overstocking and reactive treatments, saying, “Throwing multiple products at a problem can sometimes make things worse.”

By adopting proactive nutrition strategies, farmers are seeing stronger, healthier calves and better long-term herd performance.

Featured Product: Reliance Level Up

Contains two essential major minerals, seven trace elements and twelve vitamins known to be lacking in cow’s milk relative to the needs of calves. A prebiotic, probiotic and essential oils have been included to aid in the establishment and maintenance of healthy gastrointestinal microflora associated with vigour and optimal gastrointestinal health. Contains the non-antibiotic coccidiostat Decoquinate which aids in the prevention of coccidiosis. Developed in conjunction with The Calf Experts.

Protexin® probiotic – a blend of live viable microbes which benefits the calf by improving the intestinal microbial balance.
Actigen prebiotic – refined functional carbohydrates which support animal performance and well-being.
An essential oil pack associated with increased dry matter intake and weight gain.
Contains the essential minerals sodium and magnesium which can be lacking in whole milk but are important for appetite.
Twelve vitamins known to be deficient in whole milk and often poorly produced within the pre-ruminant calf that play key roles in appetite, disease resistance and vitality.